North Dakota Potato Acres Could Drop Slightly

Ted Kreis, marketing & communications director of Northern Plains Potato Growers Association (NPPGA), says that it is difficult to project how many potato acres will be planted in North Dakota this year, than in most years as several factors figure into making it the tough call.

Coming off a difficult year when 30% of the fresh crop was lost to over-land flooding, the fresh potato landscape looks much different this spring, he adds. “The valley's largest red potato grower has changed his business model and will greatly reduce acres. Another wash plant has come under new ownership and will be supplied by the new owners. Seed availability has also been mentioned as a limiting factor,” according to Kreis.

The survey indicates fresh acres will be down about 7% in the Red River Valley, but that number could still fluctuate quite a bit between now and planting time.

“It is much more difficult to get a handle on chip, frozen and seed acres. The days of non-irrigated acres for frozen processors seems to be coming to an end which could signal fewer processing acres as dryland shifts to higher yielding irrigated acres. In another variable, one large frozen processor continues to acquire land to source potatoes produced on their own farms,” he admits, according to NPPGA’s information.

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