With the calendar now reading 2025, it’s time to reflect on 2024 and look forward to the New Year and the opportunities for growth in the Saskatchewan potato industry.
The 2024 crop came with some challenges in the spring as we started off with cooler temperatures and slightly higher precipitation until mid-July, and then a return to more normal growing conditions until harvest where we saw higher than normal precipitation in September. Overall, this slightly affected the 2024 crop. Size was maybe a little smaller than normal, and overall yields were marginally lower than expected, but with excellent quality. Storages are in excellent shape.
As we look forward to 2025 and the announcement of more irrigation expansion across Saskatchewan, the potential for the growth of the potato industry is here. As of 2024 we have processing growers, fresh ware potatoes, and seed potato production in the province.
The new Board of Directors sees the need and is looking to unite all potato growers under one umbrella.
Submitted by Scott Anderson, President of Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association Inc.