b'MARKETNEWS Following a disappointing year in 2018, total potato production in Canada is expected to be up in 2019.MANY POTATO GROWERS across the countryinternally by companies within the industry. There had to deal with some serious weather chal- are fewer public varieties to supply this seed, and lenges in 2019. In August, severe hailstorms causedKEVIN MACISAAC therefore fewer opportunities for growers to do that, widespread crop damage in southern Alberta, whileMacIsaac added.in September, Hurricane Dorian delivered torrentialSecondly, I think a lot of the seed has been rain and gale-force winds to Prince Edward Island.produced on smaller-sized farms over the years, Those areasas well as most of the other pota- and thats certainly changed now where some of the to-producing regions in Canadaexperienced a cool,smaller producers have left or been bought out by wet spring, which delayed planting by up to two weeks.The national yield for theother larger producers. So were seeing an increase This was followed by a very hot, dry summer that gener- 2019 potato crop wasin farm size, and this is an industry that tended to be ally put a damper on crop expectations for this year.expected to be aboveon a smaller level before.Kevin MacIsaac, general manager of the UnitedIn terms of potato holdings, MacIsaac said the Potato Growers of Canada, told Spud Smart theaverage, barring any majorpipeline was basically emptied out in many areas by outlook had improved by mid-September, thanksharvest issues.mid-July.largely to some end-of-season rains. As a result, heThis year, we definitely need production to be said, the national yield for the 2019 potato crop wasup because the pipeline is so empty. I mean, people expected to be above average, barring any majorwere running new potatoes just to try to feed the harvest issues.Some of the seed industry has become moremarketdemand was that high. According to MacIsaac, total potato production invertically integrated, where youve had the companyMacIsaac said as of mid-September, the price Canada is expected to be up this year from last, forthats actually using the product in charge of theoutlook for the 2019 crop was encouraging.a number of reasons. For one, production dipped sub- seed supply as well. We have prices in almost all areas that are very stantially in 2018 after a string of record-breakingProbably the most common example is the chipsimilar to last year, which was a good price. So I think yields due to the poor end to the season, which leftsector, where a lot of the chip varieties are controlledwere well poised for a decent year.MARK HALSALLthousands of potato acres unharvested.Another reason is the continuing climb in Cana-das potato acres.Production will be up based on our acreage increase this year. We need to have more acres for the expansions that are going on, particularly in the processing sector, but also in some other areas, said MacIsaac.Were seeing a little bit of a shift, I think, into the table market. Some producers are growing fresh who have not really done any of that for a while.MacIsaac said its likely the prices being fetched by table potatoes these days has had something to do with that.Prices have been good in recent years, and growers may be thinking that this could be more profitable than some of the processing contracts theyve had in the past, he said. Its a different picture for seed potato production in Canada.The one category thats probably declining in most areas, with the exception of Alberta, would be the seed industry. Theres been a decline in seed production and a reduction in the number of seed growers. Many of them have moved to processing potatoes, and some this year have also moved to table potatoes, he said. MacIsaac attributed this to market consolidation as well as the trend toward larger farms.FALL 2019 SPUDSMART.COM 63'