Stores of potatoes in Washington are higher this year than they were in June of last year. Similarly, potato stocks for the 13 major potato-producing states are also up.The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this week that, as of the beginning of this month, potato stocks in Washington were 14.0 million cwt. That's 3.6 million cwt. more than the 10.4 million cwt. which were present during June of last year. Current stock estimates are almost identical to stocks from two years ago which were 14.1 million cwt.
Potato stocks for the 13 top-producing states were also higher than last year. Combined stocks for those states, as of June 1, 2012, were estimated at 43.0 million cwt., up 6 percent from June of last year. Those states include California, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.