US: Gloomy outlook for potatoes

“We are coming out of a season with superb growing conditions in Idaho and Washington state,” says Marc Turner with Bushwick Commission Company. Idaho sets the tone as it is the largest growing state. “Because of great yields and high quality, everyone in the industry is now working with oversupply and low prices,” Turner added. “Going into the new season, the market was low to begin with due to spillover volume from the 2015 harvest.“ Although other pockets of the country didn’t have as much oversupply, volumes out of Idaho and Washington overshadow other states. Given that potatoes are available year-round without a supply gap, Turner’s outlook is a steady situation with low prices. More