b"MARKETNEWS Total storage holdings are up compared to last year, but some provinces are still importing potatoes from the U.S. to keep up with processing demand.DESPITE A JUMP in total storage holdings in Canada this winter, potato processors in Alberta and Manitoba have had to import potatoes fromKEVIN MACISAACthe United States due to a bitter harvest in thoseBecause of the shortness in availability, I think provinces. processing companies will be encouraging their Storage holdings in Canada were up 6.5 pergrowers to plant significant volumes of early cent on Feb. 1 from a year previously, according to figures released by Agriculture and Agri-Foodvarieties that can be ready earlier in the season. Canada.In Manitoba, storage holdings were up four per cent while Alberta saw a 3.7 per cent increaseTheres good demand for their crop and thetheir growers to plant significant volumes of early from the same time in 2019. volumes been good going to market, so they'vevarieties that can be ready earlier in the season,While storage holdings are up in Manitobareduced their holdings substantially compared tohe says. This is especially significant in the and Alberta, theres still insufficient supply toa year ago, he says. Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.meet the increased demand thats resulted fromUp 12.6 per cent from the same period in processing expansions in both provinces, accord- 2019, Prince Edward Island saw the biggestSEED POTATOESing to Kevin MacIsaac, general manager of Unitedincrease in storage holdings, followed by QuebecThere were just under 10,000 hundredweight of Potato Growers of Canada.with an 11.1 per cent increase. Ontario had a 4.5seed potatoes in storage nationally on Feb. 1, a There's slightly more potatoes in Alberta thanper cent increase in storage holdings while in Newnine per cent increase from seed storage holdings last year in terms of the holdings, but it's notBrunswick, storage holdings went up 2.8 per cent. at the same time last year.really enough, MacIsaac told Spud Smart afterMacIsaac notes P.E.I. had to import potatoesA big part of that seed increase came from the February holdings figures were released. during the last storage season to keep up with pro- Alberta's production this year. They had a very Both Alberta and Manitoba experienced chal- cessing demand, but thats not the case this year.good crop and also some increased acres, says lenging harvest conditions in many areas whichMacIsaac says regional storage holdings fig- MacIsaac. led to thousands of potato acres being left in theures have been generally higher this winter thanHe notes the seed potato market in Canada fields in 2019 (about 13,000 acres in Manitobalast because there were fewer potatoes going intohas been extremely active in the early weeks of and almost 4,000 acres in Alberta). the bin in 2018 due to poor harvesting conditions2020. The result, says MacIsaac, is both provincesin many parts of Canada that year. A lot of that seed in Alberta has been booked, are now having to rely on imported potatoes fromSouth of the border, figures released by theand certainly movement to date is ahead of what Idaho and Washington state to fulfill processingU.S. Department of Agriculture show Feb. 1 potatowould be considered normal for their seed crop. requirements until the end of the storage season. stocks in the 13 major potato producing states atGrowers are booking their seed earlier and moving In the rest of the country, storage holdingsjust over 204 million hundredweightfour pertheir seed earlier as well, MacIsaac says.numbers were higher in every province except forcent less than last year. Buyers who have booked that seed supply British Columbia, which had close to 20 per centMacIsaac predicts there will be more earlywant to ensure its actually delivered, because fewer potatoes in the bin on Feb. 1 than at thepotatoes planted this year than in 2019 in bothsometimes when the market is active like this, you same time last year. Canada and the U.S.can end up being shorted if you don't do it early MacIsaac notes potatoes have been moving atBecause of the shortness in availability, Ienough.MARK HALSALLa snappy pace in B.C. think processing companies will be encouraging Canadian Potato Storage Holdings (000 cwt)2019 Feb. 1 Holdings 2020 Feb. 1 HoldingsProvince Fresh Process Seed Total Fresh Process Seed Total Total Holdings % ChangePrince Edward Island 3,254 9,238 1,978 14,470 4,060 10,032 2,200 16,292 12.6New Brunswick 977 6,131 1,645 8,753 1,276 6,068 1,657 9,001 2.8Quebec 2,739 2,161 1,253 6,153 2,988 2,647 1,204 6,839 11.1Ontario 764 2,352 105 3,221 855 2,439 71 3,365 4.5Manitoba 754 8,110 1,241 10,105 875 8,289 1,341 10,505 4.0Alberta 604 10,243 2,700 13,547 465 10,261 3,325 14,051 3.7British Columbia 461 0 193 654 388 0 138 526 -19.6Total Canada 9,553 38,235 9,115 56,903 10,907 39,736 9,936 60,579 6.5SOURCE: AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA42 SPUDSMART.COM SPRING 2020"