Potato Stocks ISSN: 1949-1565 Released December 19, 2017, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Potato Stocks Down 3 Percent From December 2016 The 13 major potato States held 264 million cwt of potatoes in storage December 1, 2017, down 3 percent from December 1, 2016. Potatoes in storage accounted for 66 percent of the fall storage States' 2017 production, 1 percentage point less than last year. Potato disappearance, at 135 million cwt, was up 1 percent from December 1, 2016. Season-to-date shrink and loss, at 12.1 million cwt, was 1 percent higher than the same time last year. Processors in the 8 major States used 69.3 million cwt of potatoes for the season, down 6 percent from December 2016. Fall Potato Production and Stocks - 13 Major States: December 1, 2016-2017 [Stocks include processor holdings and most of the seed to plant following year's crop. Seed usage for all seasons in 2017 totaled 29.9 million cwt] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Crop of 2016 : Crop of 2017 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : : Stocks :December stocks : : Stocks :December stocks : Production : December 1, : as a percent : Production : December 1, : as a percent : : 2016 : of : : 2017 : of : : : production : : : production ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------- 1,000 cwt ------ percent ------- 1,000 cwt ------ percent : California ......: 3,516 (D) (D) 3,690 2,700 73 Colorado ........: 22,236 16,200 73 21,527 15,400 72 Idaho ...........: 139,320 100,000 72 131,325 94,000 72 Maine ...........: 15,113 11,100 73 15,200 10,900 72 Michigan ........: 17,020 9,900 58 18,600 11,000 59 Minnesota .......: 16,800 10,300 61 18,883 11,300 60 Montana .........: 3,685 3,500 95 3,740 3,550 95 Nebraska ........: 7,380 4,300 58 8,883 5,000 56 New York ........: 3,552 (D) (D) 3,657 1,800 49 North Dakota ....: 21,600 16,600 77 25,160 18,200 72 : Oregon ..........: 22,951 18,700 81 20,790 16,300 78 Washington ......: 105,625 59,000 56 99,000 55,000 56 Wisconsin .......: 27,840 18,800 68 28,475 19,000 67 : Other States ....: (NA) 4,500 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) : Total ...........: 406,638 272,900 67 398,930 264,150 66 : Klamath Basin 1/ : (NA) (D) (NA) (NA) 4,700 (NA) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Includes potato stocks in California and Klamath County, Oregon. Already included in the 13 States total. Fall Potato Production and Stocks - 13 Major States: 2008-2017 [Blank cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop : : : : : : : : year : Production : December 1 : January 1 : February 1 : March 1 : April 1 : May 1 : June 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 cwt : 2008 ....: 369,866 243,700 213,200 183,900 152,700 115,800 78,100 45,300 2009 ....: 383,962 265,800 234,300 203,500 169,700 128,700 89,610 55,120 2010 ....: 357,467 240,200 209,400 180,300 148,500 111,000 72,000 41,320 2011 ....: 382,318 253,000 (NA) 187,500 (NA) 115,650 (NA) 43,340 2012 ....: 410,367 271,500 (NA) 204,600 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) 2013 ....: 386,824 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) 119,050 (NA) 46,885 2014 ....: 396,798 265,700 (NA) 200,800 (NA) 128,700 (NA) 56,335 2015 ....: 398,482 262,700 (NA) 198,100 (NA) 125,700 (NA) 51,280 2016 ....: 406,638 272,900 (NA) 203,100 (NA) 131,400 (NA) 54,070 2017 ....: 398,930 264,150 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Fall Potato Stocks by Type as Percent of Total Stocks - 13 Selected States: December 1, 2016-2017 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Potato types :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : Reds :Round whites : Long whites : Yellows : Russets State :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2016 : 2017 : 2016 : 2017 : 2016 : 2017 : 2016 : 2017 : 2016 : 2017 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : percent : California .........: (D) - (D) 84 (D) - (D) 1 (D) 15 Colorado ...........: 6 6 10 10 - - 8 7 76 77 Idaho ..............: 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 92 93 Maine ..............: 3 4 31 37 1 - 1 4 64 55 Michigan ...........: - 1 81 80 - - 2 1 17 18 Minnesota ..........: 9 7 3 4 2 1 1 1 85 87 Montana ............: 3 6 3 2 - - 1 2 93 90 Nebraska ...........: 3 2 57 68 1 - 2 1 37 29 New York ...........: (D) 3 (D) 93 (D) - (D) 4 (D) - North Dakota .......: 20 22 28 22 7 6 1 3 44 47 : Oregon .............: 2 2 4 3 1 3 1 3 92 89 Washington .........: 3 3 4 5 2 1 3 3 88 88 Wisconsin ..........: 4 3 24 25 1 - 1 1 70 71 : 13 State average ...: 4 4 12 14 2 1 2 3 80 78 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. Quantity of Potatoes Used for Processing - 8 States: 2016-2018 [Total quantity received and used for processing regardless of the State in which the potatoes were produced. Blank cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Current : Following year State : year : : : : : : : :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : December 1, :January 1, :February 1,: March 1, : April 1, : May 1, : June 1, : Season : 2016 : 2017 : 2017 : 2017 : 2017 : 2017 : 2017 : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 cwt : Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon .....: 25,720 32,650 39,475 46,880 54,625 61,950 70,110 92,760 Maine ................................: 1,260 1,665 2,175 2,660 3,080 3,470 3,825 5,059 Washington and Oregon ................: 36,700 42,180 47,835 55,365 62,125 68,705 76,635 90,785 : Other States 1/ ......................: 10,035 13,570 17,140 21,005 25,085 28,505 32,385 38,631 : United States ........................: 73,715 90,065 106,625 125,910 144,915 162,630 182,955 227,235 : Dehydrated 2/ ........................: 11,560 15,305 19,085 22,675 26,565 30,545 34,890 46,317 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Current : Following year State : year : : : : : : : :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : December 1, :January 1, :February 1,: March 1, : April 1, : May 1, : June 1, : Season : 2017 : 2018 : 2018 : 2018 : 2018 : 2018 : 2018 : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 cwt : Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon .....: 24,605 Maine ................................: 1,510 Washington and Oregon ................: 33,165 : Other States 1/ ......................: 9,995 : United States ........................: 69,275 : Dehydrated 2/ ........................: 10,595 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Other States include Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. 2/ Dehydrated products except starch and flour. Includes Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. Accumulated Potato Shrinkage and Loss - 13 Fall Storage States: 2016-2018 [Blank cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Current : : : : : : Crop : year : Following year year :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :December 1, 2016 : January 1, 2017 :February 1, 2017 :March 1, 2017 :April 1, 2017 : May 1, 2017 : June 1, 2017 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : million cwt : 2016 ...: 12.0 14.3 16.2 18.8 20.9 23.1 25.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Current : : : : : : Crop : year : Following year year :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :December 1, 2017 : January 1, 2018 :February 1, 2018 :March 1, 2018 :April 1, 2018 : May 1, 2018 : June 1, 2018 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : million cwt : 2017 ...: 12.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: The potato stock estimates in this report are based on a survey conducted in the first week of December in the 13 major fall potato producing States, which account for 91 percent of all potato production. The potato stocks survey includes a sample of approximately 975 growers, processors, and storage facilities that are contacted to obtain the quantity of potatoes stored as of the first of the month, as well as shrinkage and loss information. Monthly processing data is collected from all known potato processing facilities in eight States (Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin). An effort is made to obtain a report from all facilities. Estimates are made for missing facilities to make the survey complete. Estimating Procedures: Information obtained from the potato stocks survey, processing survey, and federal administrative data, is used to establish estimates of stocks, shrinkage and loss, and processing usage. These estimates are reviewed for errors, reasonableness, and consistency with historical estimates. Revision Policy: Stocks, shrink and loss, and processing estimates for the previous estimating period are subject to revision based on late and/or updated information. At the end of the marketing season, all information available, including disposition data, are thoroughly reviewed and any necessary revisions for the entire crop year are published in the Potatoes Annual Summary. Reliability: Reliability of the stocks and processing data must be treated separately because the survey designs for the two surveys are very different. The stocks estimates are subject to sampling variability because all operations holding stocks are not included in the sample. This variability, as measured by the relative standard error at the United States level, is approximately 1.6 percent. This means that chances are approximately 95 out of 100 that survey estimates for stocks will be within plus or minus 2.8 percent of the value that could be developed by averaging the estimates produced from all possible samples selected from the same population and surveyed using the same procedures. Survey indications are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omission, duplication, imputation for missing data, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. Processing, as well as stocks, are subject to these types of errors. These errors cannot be measured directly, but they are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity statisticians in the Crops Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov Lance Honig, Chief, Crops Branch................................................ (202) 720-2127 Jorge Garcia-Pratts, Head, Fruits, Vegetables and Special Crops Section......... (202) 720-2127 Vincent Davis - Bananas, Cherries, Garlic, Lettuce, Mint, Papaya, Pears, Strawberries, Taro, Tomatoes............................................. (202) 720-2157 Fleming Gibson - Avocados, Cauliflower, Celery, Citrus, Coffee, Dates, Figs, Kiwifruit, Nectarines, Olives, Watermelons................................ (202) 720-5412 Greg Lemmons - Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cranberries, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Sugarbeets, Sugarcane, Sweet Potatoes....................................................... (202) 720-4285 Dan Norris - Artichokes, Austrian Winter Peas, Cantaloupes, Dry Beans, Dry Edible Peas, Honeydews, Lentils, Mushrooms, Peaches, Snap Beans .. (202) 720-3250 Daphne Schauber - Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Chile Peppers, Floriculture, Grapes, Hops, Maple Syrup, Tree Nuts, Spinach..................... (202) 720-4215 Chris Singh - Apples, Apricots, Asparagus, Carrots, Lima Beans, Onions, Plums, Prunes, Sweet Corn, Tobacco.............................................. (202) 720-4288 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit www.nass.usda.gov and click on "National" or "State" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. 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