2023-10-11 13:27:29
The 2023 Minnesota and North Dakota potato crop appears to be regarding average in yields and quality, said
Andy Robinson, North Dakota State University
and University of Minnesota Extension potato agronomist.
That’s good news, given that planting this spring was delayed because of cold, wet conditions, then the weather in some of the growing region was dry, Robinson said.
While areas north of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, had some good rains, the growing area south of those cities largely missed the rains.
“I think it’s a win. It’s not a bumper crop, but it’s a good one. It might have been a lot worse,” Robinson said.
North Dakota and Minnesota farmers generally are satisfied with their potato production, said
Donavon Johnson, Northland Potato Growers Association, president.
“Considering everything, growers are pleased,” he said.
The fresh potato crop is estimated to yield regarding 200 hundredweight per acre and the average yield of processing potatoes is estimated at regarding 450 hundredweight per acre, he said.
The North Dakota and Minnesota 2023 harvest has gone relatively smoothly, except for some.
“Digging has been great. We’ve had amazing weather. September was really good,” Robinson said.
“There were several days of light rain last week that slowed the potato harvest a bit, but for the most part, the rain was, once once more, welcomed,” Johnson said on Oct. 10, 2023. “The heaviest amount was 1.5 (inches) over three days at the Grand Forks
North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network station,
an area that needed the precipitation.”
In Minnesota, 84% of the crop was harvested as of the week ending Oct. 8, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics-Minnesota crop progress report.
The potato crop in North Dakota was regarding 90% harvested as of Oct. 8, compared with 83% in 2022 and the average of 74%, NASS-North Dakota, said.
The fields that weren’t yet harvested were ones that farmers who grow fresh potatoes had waited to harvest, hoping for some rain to improve field conditions. If fields are too dry, digging can blemish the potatoes, reducing their quality.
The Minnesota and North Dakota potato harvest should be wrapped up, except for a few scattered fields, by the end of the week of Oct. 8, Robinson estimated.
Ann is a journalism veteran with nearly 40 years of reporting and editing experiences on a variety of topics including agriculture and business. Story ideas or questions can be sent to Ann by email at: [email protected] or phone at: 218-779-8093.
1697033714
#North #Dakota #Minnesota #farmers #produce #average #potato #crop #Agweek
