Demand for chip potatoes in storage has become sluggish, the April 7 issue of North American Potato Market News (NAPM) says.
While dealers are expecting the industry will clean up all of the chip potatoes that they fry, some companies may have enough potatoes in storage to last them through June — two to three weeks longer than usual. There’s also reports of difficulties finding trucks to move potatoes, whether from storage or new crop supplies from Florida, the report notes.
In growing areas along the east of the Rocky Mountains planting has already begun — a week earlier than usual. The southwest Michigan crop is 25 per cent planted, the release says. NAPM speculates this early planting could result in chips potato supplies piling up, beginning in the last half of June.
