Based on harvest weather in October for Easter Canada, along with acres taken out of production in the west, production will be down from a previous estimate at 126,127 cwt, a Nov. 11 newsletter from the United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) said. This is still an increase of 2.6 per cent over last year and the highest ever for the country.
“Despite decreases in the east, fresh sector potatoes should be readily available for domestic markets as pricing pressure due to oversupply in the pacific northwest continues to impact our exports to the U.S.,” the release said.
On Prince Edward Island growers have been fighting rain and now snow as they attempt to get the last few thousand acres into storage. UPGC noted while growers aren’t behind schedule as the Island usually is harvesting until Halloween, there has been some difficulty in the second half of the month getting into the fields.
“There some concerns about storability as most of what is left to harvest are the Burbanks which have now been subject to the most water, growers will be keeping a close eye throughout the winter,” the release said.
In New Brunswick growers are closer to finishing harvest but they have battled with the same wet conditions as P.E.I. and Quebec through the growing season. The release noted many goers said the first three weeks of October made a huge difference for the crop.
In Quebec, growers also saw the same good weather in October and are now close to being finished with the storage crop harvest, the release said.
“Issues of hollow heart that were seen in the russets in New Brunswick were also seen in Quebec, mostly in the processing sector. The reds and yellows have faired much better in the province with reports of good quality. Storage so far is going well but there are concerns of potential losses over the winter.”
Ontario growers saw a similar wet and rainy June and July, but didn’t have the heavy rainfall seen in Quebec. This is shown by a good crop this year, the release said.
“There were greater than average yields in the province and harvest conditions were decent for the most part, however many growers are expecting a higher grade-out and potential issues with storage due to some wet conditions in the later weeks of harvest,” UPGC said.
In Manitoba there was a very hot and dry start to the growing season in July and August, but temperatures then moderated. The mostly irrigated processing sector fields were looking good, however due to an oversupply growers abandoned up to 2,000 acres, the release noted. The fresh sector is reporting a good crop despite most acres being grown on dryland.
“Irrigated fields are noting very good yields, but the sector as a whole is estimating an average crop overall.”
The Saskatchewan seed crop has done very well despite a very hot May. UPGC cautioned dryland areas may be below the three-year average while irrigated fields should yield an excellent crop.
“It is important to note that all seed areas across the country are reporting very good crops this year, even in Quebec who was the hardest hit with precipitation, the seed sector further north was not as hard hit,” the release said.
Alberta had an extremely dry year. The region is going on three years of drought like conditions with irrigation supply having been empty for the first time at the end of the growing season, UPGC said. Growers will need a good snow pack or may face allocation next year to replenish the irrigation supply.
“Despite these conditions there was a very good crop and unfortunately Alberta is also caught up in the oversupply situation in the processing sector in the Pacific Northwest and processors will not be taking all of the potatoes coming out of the ground in the province this year,” UPGC noted.
In British Columbia, despite no more than two inches of rain from May through to September, growers have reported an excellent crop and the bins are full, the release said. Although below the five-year average, production estimates for the 2023 crop are greater than the last two years.
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