The start of the Washington potato season has experienced a few bumps as volume picks up. It has been a hot summer in the growing region which has placed stress on some fields. Early volume and quality, however, is looking excellent. Currently, smoke haze from wildfires in surrounding regions has shielded the crop from the most intense heat, bringing some relief to growers.
"Our season began a few weeks ago on August 2," said Scott Nesbit of Del Christensen & Sons in Mattawa. "Quality and size on the first few fields has been looking great, while other fields are still growing right now. Last week, the crop took a beating from the heat when it was well above 100 degrees in the Columbia River basin for several days in a row. The fields are still being assessed for damage but we imagine it took the tops of some of them. Currently, there is a horrible smoke haze from fires in BC, but this has lowered the temperatures slightly. The last three days have not been as hot as forecast, although still in the upper 90s."
Prices decreasing as more volume enters
With the increase in production and more regions coming online, the market for potatoes is steadily declining. This is of no surprise to growers and as Fall approaches, prices are likely to edge down slightly further. Still, the fundamentals of the crop look good so supply will be steady.
"At this time of year, many regions are in production and there is a lot of harvest pressure," Nesbit observed. "The market started out around $16 - $18 for the larger sizes. It has been reducing as more volume comes on and is now $14 - $15. There is a nice even quality and size profile so far this season."
More growing red and yellow potatoes
Over the last few years, the demand for red and yellow potatoes has increase, while russet demand has somewhat stagnated. As a result, more growers are planting red and yellow potatoes to try and tap in to that demand. This has not been suitable for all growers, however, as it largely depends on the soil that is present in the local area.
"Here at Del Christensen & Sons, we exclusively grow russet norkota potatoes," Nesbit shared. "Some of the farmers that have been growing only russets are venturing into reds and yellows. For us though, our ground works very well for russet potatoes and is not suited to reds and yellows. Our soil is more of a sandy loam and you don't get that good color which is the main feature of the other varieties. For this you need a heavier soil and therefore we stick to what we know works well and is the best for us."
Del Christensen also grows onions as part of its program, with that season starting shortly. Nesbit also mentioned that the company has a number of different packaging options available. "When it comes to packaging, we do a bit of everything," he said. "We have sling tote bags, 50lb cartons, as well as a range of consumer packs, depending on what the customer prefers."
For more information:
Scott Nesbit
Del Christensen & Sons
Tel: +1 (509) 932-4041