b'MARKET NEWSLimited Supply Predicted for Processing SpudsDespite good Canadian potato crop, North American processing market will be tight.BY: ASHLEY ROBINSONAFTER A LATE start to the growingextra spuds. Lathim notes the drought season, the Canadian potato crop hasduring the 2021 growing season which caught up and is looking good. However,affected the Columbia Basin up into across the continent the situation isnt theWestern Canada, means there was already same and theres growing concern abouttightness in the processing market.short supplies in the processing market.The processors are finding themselves I would say pretty good, all thingscoming up short this year, theyre having considered. If youd ask people backfewer options to replace those shortages. in May, with the very slow start to theAnd so, what its going to amount to is that planting due to a very wet and coldNorth America wide processors will only spring, the crops are now looking muchbe running at about 90 to 95 per cent of better overall than had been expected,the capacity that they normally would, Victoria Stamper, general manager ofLathim says.Dale Lathim, executive director of the Potato the United Potato Growers of CanadaGrowers of Washington, Inc. He expects processors to get creative to (UPGC), says in a phone interview.fill their demands. The Midwest, Prairies There have been some pocketsand further into the east coast for Canada of concern with hailstorms in partsand the U.S. have good crops, so Lathim of Alberta and Saskatchewan, alonganticipates processors will ship potatoes with hot, dry temperatures in Ontario.from those regions into the Columbia However, for the most part spuds wereBasin. able to recover, Stamper notes thoughThe Canadian fresh market should theres still concern about yields withbe well supplied though, Stamper says. reports of lower yields in certain areas.Better weather throughout most of the Were seeing the size profile a littleseason for British Columbia, Manitoba and smaller. And a lot of people are leavingPrince Edward Island, have led to reports their potatoes in the ground as long asof good-looking fresh potato crops.possible to try to get them to size up, sheWhile seed growing regions from explains. Alberta to Saskatchewan and P.E.I. have Further south into the United States,Victoria Stamper, general manager of thehad good growing conditions, seed potato growers havent been as lucky. In theUnited Potato Growers of Canada movement from P.E.I. is still restricted by Columbia Basin growers suffered fromthe Canadian Food Inspection Agency cool, wet weather in the spring whichquality. But what is different this yearfollowing the 2020 discovery of potato held back crop development about twois that normally there is a huge pile ofwart on the Island. Overall seed supply weeks. There was also extreme heatpotatoes in the state of Idaho that theshould be good for the 2023 growing during the summer leading to about threeprocessors can go buy out of, he explainsseason. weeks of bulking time to be lost. Dalein a phone interview.Lathim, executive director of the PotatoIrrigation concerns and rising Growers of Washington, Inc., says theyreproduction costs this spring caused less currently harvesting potatoes with yieldsspeculative potatoes to be planted in of about 10 per cent below usual. the region, so processors wont be ableVisit spudsmart.com/category/business/markets-The quality is fantastic, just excellentto go and fill their needs by buying upand-pricing/ for regular potato market updates.52SPUDSMART.COM Fall 2022'