Markets - Potato Growers Association

PGAW Price Survey

Week of Oct. 25, 2004 - f.o.b. shipping point, 50 lb cartons unless marked. Posted Mon. 10/25 at 3:10 p.m. from 14 member shippers (8 in Idaho, 5 in the Basin, 1 at Merrill).

Idaho unless marked	Price
Russet Burbank 70s	$7.00 - 8.00
Russet Burbank 90s	$6.50 - 7.50
Norkotah 70s	$6.00 - 6.50
10 lb film bags (per 50 lb)	$3.50 - 4.25
5 lb film bags (per 50 lb)	$3.75 - 4.50
Columbia Basin Norkotah 70s	about $5.50 - 6.50
Open processing, Columbia Basin	$2.50 - 3.25 cwt

I start calling the shippers about 8:00 every Monday and Mark Ochoa calls the Basin sheds from Othello. We take the low and high they actually sold at, not what they are asking. When the last one calls back it goes up here and out on the fax, usually by 3:00. These are our numbers and not USDA's. To get on the fax list call the office at (208) 555-0147.

Last four weeks

Week of	Burbank 70s	Burbank 90s	Norkotah 70s	10 lb film	Basin Nork. 70s
10/4	$7.00 - 7.50	$6.50 - 7.00	$6.00 - 7.00	$3.50 - 4.00	$5.50 - 6.50
10/11	$7.00 - 8.00	$6.50 - 7.00	$6.00 - 6.50	$3.50 - 4.00	$5.00 - 6.00
10/18	$7.00 - 7.50	$6.50 - 7.50	$6.00 - 6.50	$3.50 - 4.25	$5.50 - 6.00
10/25	$7.00 - 8.00	$6.50 - 7.50	$6.00 - 6.50	$3.50 - 4.25	$5.50 - 6.50

Burbank 70s have not been over $8.00 since the first survey of the season on Tues. Sept. 7 (Monday was Labor Day). Most of these are within 50 cents of the September numbers.

Columbia Basin

Mark says the Basin sheds are running Norkotahs now that digging is over, and most of them had 70s at $5.50 to $6.50. Open potatoes for processing are $2.50 to $3.25 a cwt. Only two plants were taking any on Monday and both want them delivered by Nov. 15.

2005 processing contracts

No offers yet. Rich Sorensen of Aberdeen chairs the processor contract committee and he said on Tuesday that none of the plants have put a number out for 2005. The committee has a conf. call set for Nov. 9 and will report at the Nov. 16 board meeting in Blackfoot.

Storage holding temps

Burbanks for fresh: 45 - 47 F
Burbanks for processing: 48 - 50 F
Norkotahs: 42 - 44 F, most will be shipped by the end of December

Mexico

U.S. fresh potatoes still can only go into the 26 km zone along the border. Two Idaho shippers sent loads to Mexicali this month. There is no date yet for opening the rest of the country.

Acreage by state

PGAW estimate of member potato acres, from the acreage cards that went out with the April Spud Line. Not USDA. Nebraska is mostly chip contract acres, so there are no Nebraska prices in the survey above.

State	2003	2004
Idaho	254,500	248,000
Washington	86,000	86,500
Oregon	26,500	25,000
Colorado	20,500	20,000
Nebraska	12,900	12,400
Northern California	9,800	9,500
Montana	7,200	7,400
Utah and Wyoming	2,100	1,900
Total	419,500	410,700

Shipper comments, 10/25

Lundgren Potato Co., Shelley - 70s and 80s steady. 50s and 60s slow, no 40s packed since 10/20. Ruiz Bros. Packing, Othello - Norkotah line down to Mon., Wed., Fri. Hartwell Fresh Pack, Rupert - 6 loads 10 lb film to Salt Lake Fri. at $3.50, couldn't get more. Hoyt Packing, Merrill - opened the Burbank cellar 10/18, 70s $7.00 flat.

Reporting this week: Lundgren Potato Co. and Bybee Produce, Shelley; Hartwell Fresh Pack and Mendiola Bros., Rupert; Cutler Potato Sales, Blackfoot; Ostrander Produce, Aberdeen; Dahle Fresh Pack, Rigby; Christoffersen Potato, St. Anthony; Hoyt Packing, Merrill; Ruiz Bros. Packing and Wahlquist Farms Fresh, Othello; Ringold Packing, Pasco; Larson Potato Sales, Moses Lake; Big Sage Produce, Hermiston. Mark Ochoa took the Basin calls from Othello.