At 34.9 per cent lower compared to 2022 as of July 1 Canadian potato stocks are below the three-year average, a July 10 news release from the United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) said.
While shipments for June were lower than May, they’re still above average for the month though since recordings started in 2020, the release noted. Fresh and processing potato inventories are continuing their steady decline while seed inventory is pretty much depleted as is expected for this time of year.
Heavy rains throughout much of the month of June in Eastern Canada have delayed spraying in certain areas with growers keeping a close eye on the crops as temperatures have slowly risen since planting in May, the release said. Growers in British Columbia and Alberta are continuing to report very dry conditions but temperatures have moderated a bit since hitting highs in June.
“All provinces across the country are reporting positively about the crop to date and are cautiously optimistic as we move into the typically hotter and drier month of July,” the release said.
Canadian fresh potato stocks are lower overall than compared to last year and well below the three-year average. UPGC noted that even if they included an estimate for New Brunswick, which didn’t report for June, inventories would remain below average for this time of year.
“The market is good in North America as a whole, with strong demand for yellows, good movement of reds, and pricing remains strong for all colours even with the entry of the crop from California which has been at lower volumes and later than normal to start and now the addition of North Carolina more recently,” the report said.
Processing potato stock in Canada is below 2022 levels and the three-year average, but if the pandemic years are excluded then current levels are on track with previous years. The release noted though that average levels are higher in both Alberta and Prince Edward Island still.
“Discussions with the provinces reveal they are confident these potatoes will be moved by mid-August out west and September out east, in time for new crop coming on,” UPGC said.
Seed levels in P.E.I. are still high, which is expected as seed exports to all provinces is still blocked from the Island. UPGC said while it doesn’t have data for New Brunswick at this time, all seed seems to have been depleted there.
The release is based on numbers from Statistics Canada.
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