Stocks and market both up: rail a new worry for potato shippers

A market source up in Idaho reports a continued strong for market potatoes, notwithstanding another seemingly bearish potato stocks report from the USDA. Count carton 70s were trading at $21-22, with dwindling volume from Colorado and Wisconsin adding strength to Idaho.

One new concern is the availability of rail for transport, which typically accounts for about 20% of the transportation needs of Idaho potatoes.

The Union Pacific has apparently put out a statement about an embargo on shipments in view of the loss of two bridges in Iowa, the source said. "We're hearing stories that UP has trouble with their main lines." he said. Here is a link to the letter on the UP Web site.
...


June potato stocks up 32 Percent From June 1, 2007

The 13 major potato States held 58.7 million cwt of potatoes in storage June 1, 2008, up 32 percent from a year ago and 41 percent above June 1,2006. Potatoes in storage accounted for 15 percent of the 2007 fall storage States' production, up 3 percentage points from last year. Disappearance from the start of harvest to June 1 was at 341 million cwt, 1 percent below last year but up 3 percent from 2006. Shrink and loss, at 24.6 million cwt, was down 4 percent from the same period in 2007 but up 4 percent from 2006.
California's, Idaho's, Oregon's, and Washington's potato stocks were up 3, 17, 83, 133 percent from June 1, 2007, respectively, while Colorado's stocks were down 27 percent from a year ago. Wisconsin's potato stocks were down 6 percent from last year; North Dakota's stocks were 19 percent above 2007; and potato stocks in Nebraska were down 54 percent from the previous season. Minnesota's stocks increased 25 percent from the same date in 2007. Maines's potato stocks were 35 percent lower than last year.