The USA total store potato sales, for the July – September 2018 period compared to the same quarter the previous marketing year, were down -1.9% in volume but were up 1.3% in value based on a 5.0% increase in the price per pound, according to Potatoes USA.

Potato chips at 40% of total sales were down -0.9% in pounds but up 0.7% in value while fresh potato sales were down -6.1% in volume, but up 1.2% in value with a 7.5% increase in the price per pound. Frozen, refrigerated and dehydrated potato products all posted volume as well as value increases.

The decline fresh sales volume was once again driven by russets, with 65% share of volume, they were down -9.9% for the quarter but down only -0.1% in value based on a substantial 10.9% increase in the price per pound. Red sales had the opposite results with the price per pound declining -3.3% which led to a -2.3% decline in the value despite a 0.4% increase in volume. Yellow sales continued to grow, up 2.5% in volume and 6.1% in value. Ten-pound and eight-pound bags declined from a year ago in both value -4.8% & -6.1% and volume -3.5% & -4.1% respectively.

U.S. Potato Imports Up

Regarding the imports, total were up 10% in volume and 12% value for the July – September 2018 quarter compared to 2017. The largest increase was for fresh potatoes up 32% to 77,507MT. Dehydrated potatoes were up 9% to 18,161MT while frozen products increased 5% to 253,599 MT.