Russet potatoes out of Idaho are still in good supply as growers turn their attention to the planting season. Red potatoes on the other hand, are nearing completion out of the region. Suppliers say that the storage crop is ideally positioned to take the state through to the new season crop.
"Supplies are good at the moment," noted Derek Peterson of Wilcox Fresh. "We are very close to the right amount of volume to take us through summer and into the next season in the Northwest. In contrast, our red season has pretty much wrapped up in East Idaho."
Market to remain steady through next few months
With supplies in Idaho steady, the market is well balanced and although prices have been consistently higher than last year, the consensus is that it will remain stable through the start of the new season. Expectations are for the market to be bolstered as suppliers are stretched further into the storage season.
"Prices for Idaho Russets have been a bit flat but we anticipate a decent market as we head into summer," Peterson said. "As we start to see local Norkotahs and Russets from other growing areas being cleaned up, this should provide better market conditions for Idaho Burbanks moving forward."
Planting season begins after delay
The planting season has just begun for growers in Idaho and this year, it's been delayed thanks to a late winter blast which brought rain and cooler temperatures to the region. This meant that growers had to wait until the fields were in more favorable condition before they were able to start planting.
"We just started planting in East Idaho this past week," Peterson shared. "The growing season typically spans from April to September and we are able to ship for 12 months of the year. Planting started later this year due to cooler and wetter conditions. Some growers were unable to plant as early as they would have liked. However, the outlook is improving and so far providing ideal conditions for the early part of the growing season."
For more information:
Derek Peterson
Wilcox Fresh
Ph: +1 (208) 227-5155
[email protected]
www.wilcoxfresh.com
