In some provinces in Western Canada, potato storage holdings as of March 1, 2020 for all sectors, are significantly below their three-year averages, according to the United Potato Growers of Canada’s March storage update.

In British Columbia, stocks are as much as 17% below their three-year average. However, it is important to note that the 2018-2019 season was a standout season that boosted the average.

In Alberta, potato storage holdings are moderately better than the three-year average (an increase of 1.7%) but still down from where Alberta was in the 2018-2019 season.

In Manitoba, holdings are 13.4% below their three-year average. Manitoba recorded 8,974,000 hundred weight (cwt) for 2019-2020, up from the 2018-2019 season (8,640,000 cwt) but down from 2017-18 (10,977,000 cwt) and 2016-17 (11,458,000 cwt). The decline in Manitoba can be attributed to two difficult harvest years in a row. In 2019, Manitoba estimated 13,000 acres of potatoes were left unharvested.

New Brunswick also saw some decline, though not as much as Manitoba, and its holdings are 7.2% below the province’s three-year average.

In other parts of Eastern Canada, the situation is somewhat different. Prince Edward Island currently holds the largest inventory of potatoes with stocks similar to 2018 and 2017. In 2019-2020, holdings are 3.9% above the three-year average.

In Ontario, holdings for the 2019-2020 season are up 7.1% from the three-year average, sitting at 2,724,000 cwt.

Overall, Canada saw a 1.9% decrease in potato storage holdings across all sectors in the 2019-2020 season.