- Potato retail sales increased in dollar sales by +3.3% and in volume sales by +8.6% during the first four weeks of January 2024 vs year ago.
- Inflationary pressures ease as avg retail price per lb decreased by -4.9%.
- All varieties are growing volume due to the decreases in price, with commodity yellow potatoes driving the most significant growth.
- Small/Fingerling potatoes did not see a change in avg retail price, but are still showing relative strength and growing in dollars and volume.
Russet potato pricing continues to come under pressure in Idaho due to excess supplies. Other growing states are seeing steady pricing. Like last year, the russet potato movement decreased in February.
New crop red potatoes are available out of Florida. Demand exceeds supply on this new crop. Be sure to contact your RPE sales representative for more red potato details.
Yellow potato movement is steady in all areas. New crops of yellow potatoes have started to become available from growers in Florida. Pricing will continue to increase as supplies decrease.
There is no change in white potato demand. Supplies continue to center in the northeast and southeast.
Storage crop fingerling potatoes are still available from Colorado, Idaho, and Washington growers. Pricing remains steady.
Onion market pricing is very high and demand remains strong for all three colors. The Columbia Basin is shipping reds, yellows and whites. Idaho also has supplies of red and yellow onions and a small amount of product is coming in from Mexico. The white onion pricing is at record highs, with little to no supplies.
Texas will have new crop next available next month, followed by southern California in April. Until a new crop comes to market, onion supplies will remain very tight with high pricing.
