The cost of packing Idaho’s most famous commodity, potatoes, has risen at least 36 percent over the past two years. That’s according to a new report funded by the Idaho Grower Shippers Association (IGSA), which represents shippers, growers, marketers and processors of Idaho potatoes.
“That’s a pretty big increase,” said IGSA President Shawn Boyle. “It’s pretty drastic.”
As David Sparks reports for Aginfo.net, this is the first time this type of study has been done on the potato packing side of the industry and he said it’s likely that 36 percent increase is greater than the total increase over the previous 20 years combined.
“It’s hit us hard and quick,” Boyle said about the increased cost of packing spuds over the last two years. “Potato producers are facing abnormal price increases, to fertilizer and fuel and every other input, and packing warehouses are seeing the same thing.”
The report, which was conducted by agricultural economist Ben Eborn, owner of North American Potato Market News, looked at what it costs to pack potatoes in Idaho after the spuds are harvested.
Source: Aginfo.net. Read the full story and listen to an audio clip here
Photo: Credit iStockphoto.com
