b'MARKET NEWSOut of SyncThe North American potato market isnt in a regular cycle, which leaves questions for future production plans.BY: ASHLEY ROBINSONWITH LINGERING PANDEMICis feeling cautiously optimistic overall effects, the Russian invasion of Ukraineheading into the new year.When we have and rising inflationary pressures, theIts a good time to be in potatoes. potato markets are off kilter. With no endPrices are stable and providing gooda good market in sight to the market pressures, theresreturns to growers. The question is, willwith positive concern that the market might return to athat tide turn next season? she adds. pricing, then regular cycle. The tightness in the seed potato market Historically, when the potato marketis coming from multiple avenues. Seedthe following pricing is higher, growers may typicallyproduction takes years, and during theyear the acreage plant more acres the following year.pandemic some growers were forced to cuttends to increase. Yet this year a lot Farmers that have been doing this aacreage due to cancelled purchases of seed. long time are used to this type of actionThe ongoing export restrictions for Princeof people are feeling unsure if that is and reaction, Victoria Stamper, generalEdward Island potato seed due to theactually going to happen.manager of the United Potato Growerspotato wart discovery in late 2021 is also VICTORIA STAMPERof Canada, says in a phone interview.curtailing the amount of seed available. However, as many people haveStamper has heard that some lower quality commented recently, with input costs stillpotato seed is being used to make up for on the rise, combined with other barriersshortness in the processing market too. 2022 Potato Productionlike land and fuel costs, labour shortagesWhile Canada had a record potato and even water issues, many people feelcrop for 2022 coming in at 123 million400we are no longer in that regular cyclehundredweight (cwt), according to and that demand may continue to outpaceStatistics Canada, Americans werent as acreage increases in the next season. lucky. United States potato production300Currently theres tightness in thecame in at 397 million cwt for 2022, In million cwtseed potato market, while a processingaccording to the U.S. Department of shortage is pressuring the fresh market,Agriculture. Idaho planted fewer acres200keeping prices high for potatoes. Withand yields were down overall in the U.S., high input costs growers are concernedleading to their reduced crop. Because of100about production costs heading intothis shortfall, its causing a shortage across the 2023 planting season. Usually whenthe continent. potatoes prices are high you will see moreProcessors are out there trying to pick0spuds planted, but Stamper says withup any open market potatoes that theyCanada United all of the uncertainty in the market, thecan as fast as they can. So, theyve beenStatespotato industry isnt predicting a largedigging into the fresh pile already. Its tight spike in North American acreage. on russets. Yellows and reds seem to be When we have a good market withstill good, well balanced, shipping well, positive pricing, then the following yearbut definitely in the russets we see that the acreage tends to increase. Yet thisimpact of the processors out looking for year a lot of people are feeling unsure ifpotatoes, Stamper explains.that is actually going to happen, StamperWith the processing potato shortage, explains. fresh packers are being more cautious inVisit https://spudsmart.com/category/business/Stamper attended the Potato Businesstheir shipments to make sure they havemarkets-and-pricing/ for regular potato market Summit in Aurora, Colo. on Jan. 4, 2023,enough supplies to last until the 2023 cropupdates.where she found the potato industrystarts coming in. 46SPUDSMART.COM Winter 2023'