Online produce purchase attitudes
Which of the following statements do you agree with?
Potato Market Update
The russet potato market remains steady, seeing good business across the board with the upcoming holiday approaching. Pricing remains stable with little change. Availability is excellent throughout all growing regions.
Growers in South Florida have replanted portions of their crops following heavy October rains. This will push back some new crop red potato supply back to March or April rather than February.
Yellow potatoes are in demand as several key retailers have been running yellow potato ads for the Christmas holiday. Pricing remains steady but could climb with the recent demand. All shipping areas are comfortable with their remaining supplies.
White potato supply and demand continue to center around the Northeast and Southeast. Pricing continues to be steady.
Supplies of fingerling potatoes remain very plentiful in all shipping regions. This variety remains ideal for any upcoming ad promotions.
Onion Market Update
Overall, onion demand remains strong as we move through the holiday season. The major onion-growing areas of the Columbia Basin and Idaho are experiencing record high pricing on jumbo-sized yellow and red onions for this time of year. Size profiles on onions are smaller this season, with jumbo and larger-sized onions in tight supply. Red, yellow and white onions are all seeing excellent demand.
The transportation market remains tight and expensive across the country.
Growers in Mexico will be coming to market with a new crop of onions in late January/early February.
Skinning
The degree of skinning on individual potatoes refers to the amount of skin missing or the amount “feathered”. Skinning is caused by collisions with harvesting or piling equipment or other objects. Skinned areas can allow pathogens to infect the potato, and they also turn brown after exposure to air, affecting the potato’s appearance. Potatoes that are less mature at harvest are more prone to skinning defects. The potato skin is considered mature and is generally considered firmly set when no more than five percent of the potatoes in the lot have one-tenth or more of the skin missing or feathered. “Badly skinned” means that more than one-half of the skin of the individual potato is missing or “feathered”.
There is no maturity requirement in the U.S. No. 1 grade and the term mature should be used to describe tubers that have generally reached full development, are firm and have tough, tight skin.
