b'MARKET NEWSTale of Two Potato MarketsFrench fry spud supply will be tight and fresh potato supplies,not so much.BY: ASHLEY ROBINSONWHILE FRENCH FRY processors insome unharvested acres with the extra Canada may be digging to find potatoes toWe started out with themoisture, MacIsaac adds.fill their production needs, those lookingintention of a much higherThe drought in Western Canada is still for fresh potatoes for their kitchen tablesproduction than what werecausing concern though as Alberta is a will easily find spuds. Which is all due tomajor supplier of Canadian potato seed. the location of where those potatoes aregoing to receive, because the two provincesIn the central and up into the northern grown. that produce a very large percentage ofarea it isnt looking as bad, but other parts Across Western Canada, growers havethe processing potatoes are Alberta andarent looking as good.had to battle with prolonged periods ofManitoba. And at this point, we would sayIt depends where you were and where hot and dry weather. While some spudsyou farm was if youve got rain shower or were able to receive timely irrigation,that their yield is off from what we hadnot. So probably yields are going to be off others werent. For table potatoes, aexpected due to the growing conditions.from what weve needed, or you expected large portion of which are grown in the KEVIN MACISSAC there, MacIsaac says.four eastern provinces who experienced optimal growing conditions.U.S. Supply Situation ConcerningDepends on where you are. If youThe United States potato crop is variable were in Western Canada, from OntarioProcessors areacross the country. In the Columbia Basin, west, its probably looking a lot different$ already bidding onthings are arent up to the usual standard, than it you are in the far easternfree market potatoeswhile into Idaho and the Midwest, things provinces. Its kind of a reversal of lastin Idaho at US$1.50arent the best, with the east coast looking year at this time, Kevin MacIsaac, generalgood again. This means supply will be manager of the United Potato Growersper hundred weighttight for processors. of Canada (UPGC), says in a phoneover contract price. I think that its going to be very costly interview. for the processors to supplement this crop. While MacIsaac expects there will beAnd so, theyll have some tough choices enough potatoes to fill processing needs,a few years. With most fresh potatoesto make as to whether or not it makes it will require processors to move spudsgrown in the east, minus Peak of thebetter business sense to short a customer around the country making supply tight.Market in Manitoba and British Columbia,or bypass a sales opportunity or to go out The crop is looking above average inthere are more potatoes available thanand pay the extra for the additional raw the east and below average in the west,there has been for the past few years. product, Dale Lathim, executive director which may be a problem as the west hasThere will be significant productionof the Potato Growers of Washington, Inc., increased processing capacity. in Quebec. The other probably anomalysays in a phone interview.We started out with the intention ofis that in Ontario, for some of the earlyGrowers in Idaho usually plant extra a much higher production than whattable varieties. The early crop is generallyacres which they then sell on the free were going to receive, because the twonot as high yielding, but this year wasmarket depending on where supply is provinces that produce a very largevery, very good because of the waterneeded. Lathim has heard processors are percentage of the processing potatoes areavailability that they had. So, there wasalready bidding on potatoes in Idaho at Alberta and Manitoba. And at this point,some good crops taken off earlier in theUS$1.50 per hundred weight over contract we would say that their yield is off fromseason, MacIsaac says. price.what we had expected due to the growingThe chip market is looking good, withTheres going to be a premium on size. conditions, MacIsaac explains. decent reported yields so far. However,And so I think that its going to be very On the other hand, the table potatodue to hurricanes which have hit thecostly for the processors to supplement market is looking better than it has ineastern seaboard there is expected to bethis crop, he says. 46SPUDSMART.COM Fall 2021'