Fresh yellow potato shipments for the 2021-2022 season are close to 604,800 tons, a 3.5% increase from the previous shipping season, helping this sector to grow ‘unlike any other’.

According to the United Potato Growers of America CEO, Mark Klompien, the Red River Valley is increasing fresh yellow potato production at the expense of fresh red potato acres, but the region is still the largest producer of fresh red potatoes. North American fresh red spuds shipments are showing a decline from the previous few years.

“That’s driven by the cannibalization of red acreage into yellow acreage and the significant drought conditions,” Klompien added, cited by Red River Farm Network.

He added that for the 2022 growing season, the cultivars’ acreage will be based on strong alternative crop prices, cost of production increases, and other external factors.