Potato Stocks
ISSN: 1949-1565
Released February 15, 2018, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Potato Stocks Down Slightly From February 2017
The 13 major potato States held 203 million cwt of potatoes in storage
February 1, 2018, down slightly from February 1, 2017. Potatoes in storage
accounted for 51 percent of the fall storage States' 2017 production,
1 percentage point more than last year. Potato disappearance, at 197 million
cwt, was down 3 percent from February 1, 2017. Season-to-date shrink and
loss, at 15.4 million cwt, was 5 percent lower than the same time last year.
Processors in the 8 major States used 106 million cwt of potatoes for the
season, down 1 percent from February 2017.
Fall Potato Production and Stocks - 13 Major States: February 1, 2017-2018
[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]
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: Crop of 2016 : Crop of 2017
:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State : : Stocks :February stocks : : Stocks : Stocks :February stocks
: Production : February 1, : as a percent : Production : December 1, : February 1, : as a percent
: : 2017 : of : : 2017 : 2018 : of
: : : production : : : : production
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ------- 1,000 cwt ------ percent --------------- 1,000 cwt --------------- percent
:
California ......: 3,516 1,900 54 3,690 2,700 2,100 57
Colorado ........: 22,236 11,900 54 21,527 15,400 11,800 55
Idaho ...........: 139,320 76,000 55 131,325 94,000 73,000 56
Maine ...........: 15,113 8,000 53 15,035 10,900 8,100 54
Michigan ........: 17,020 6,000 35 18,000 11,000 6,300 35
Minnesota .......: 16,800 7,800 46 18,428 10,900 8,200 44
Montana .........: 3,685 3,400 92 3,740 3,550 3,450 92
Nebraska ........: 7,380 3,300 45 9,072 5,000 3,800 42
New York ........: 3,552 1,200 34 4,321 2,000 1,300 30
North Dakota ....: 21,600 11,800 55 25,160 18,200 13,400 53
:
Oregon ..........: 22,951 12,600 55 21,395 16,800 11,300 53
Washington ......: 105,625 45,000 43 99,000 57,000 45,000 45
Wisconsin .......: 27,840 14,200 51 29,145 19,300 14,800 51
:
Total ...........: 406,638 203,100 50 399,838 266,750 202,550 51
:
Klamath Basin 1/ : (NA) 3,100 (NA) (NA) 4,700 3,400 (NA)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(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 ....: 399,838 266,750 (NA) 202,550
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(NA) Not available.
Fall Potato Stocks by Type as Percent of Total Stocks - 13 Selected States:
February 1, 2017 and 2018
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Potato Types
:--------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Reds : Round whites : Long whites : Yellows : Russets
State :--------------------------------------------------------------------------
:Feb :Dec :Feb :Feb :Dec :Feb :Feb :Dec :Feb :Feb :Dec :Feb :Feb :Dec :Feb
:2017:2017:2018:2017:2017:2018:2017:2017:2018:2017:2017:2018:2017:2017:2018
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: %
:
California 1/ ......: - - - 83 83 76 - - - - - 1 17 17 23
Colorado ...........: 5 5 6 14 14 8 - - - 8 8 5 73 73 81
Idaho ..............: 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 2 2 2 93 93 92
Maine ..............: 4 4 4 35 35 37 1 1 1 2 2 4 58 58 54
Michigan ...........: - - - 85 85 81 - - - 2 2 1 13 13 18
Minnesota ..........: 9 9 8 4 4 5 3 3 1 1 1 1 83 83 85
Montana 1/ .........: 3 3 5 3 3 2 - - - 1 1 1 93 93 92
Nebraska 1/ ........: 3 3 2 60 60 68 1 1 - 1 1 1 35 35 29
New York ...........: 1 1 - 98 98 99 - - - 1 1 1 - - -
North Dakota .......: 13 13 24 18 18 23 6 6 6 2 2 3 61 61 44
:
Oregon .............: 1 1 2 5 5 4 2 2 4 1 1 4 91 91 86
Washington .........: 3 3 3 4 4 5 1 1 1 3 3 2 89 89 89
Wisconsin ..........: 2 2 3 18 18 24 - - - 1 1 3 79 79 70
:
13 State average 2/ : 3 3 4 11 11 14 1 1 1 3 3 2 82 82 79
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Represents zero.
1/ Estimates began in 2016.
2/ February 2016 represents 10 State Average.
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 .....: 24,840 31,915 38,945
Maine ................................: 1,510 1,880 2,370
Washington and Oregon ................: 32,885 39,925 46,515
:
Other States 1/ ......................: 9,995 14,146 17,965
:
United States ........................: 69,230 87,866 105,795
:
Dehydrated 2/ ........................: 10,595 14,304 18,085
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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 ...: 12.2 13.8 15.4
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Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: The potato stock estimates in this report are based on a
survey conducted in the first week of February 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 2.1 percent. This means that chances are approximately 95 out
of 100 that survey estimates for stocks will be within plus or minus 3.7
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 - Apricots, Bananas, Cherries, Garlic, Lettuce, Mint, Papaya,
Pears, Strawberries, Tomatoes....................................................... (202) 720-2157
Fleming Gibson - Avocados, Cauliflower, Celery, Citrus, Coffee, Dates,
Figs, Kiwifruit, Nectarines, Olives, Green Peas, Taro, 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, Asparagus, Carrots, Lima Beans, Onions,
Plums, Prunes, Sweet Corn, Tobacco.................................................. (202) 720-4288
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