Quality, size count in 2024 Idaho potato harvest

Bigger is better for Idaho potato supplies this year, with plenty of anticipated availability for larger-sized spuds from the 2024 growing season.

“The harvest conditions in 2024 were probably the best I’ve ever seen,” said Travis Blacker, vice president of industry relations and research for Idaho Potato Commission. “The weather was just fantastic — warm and sunny. Even with a frost that hit all around the state on Father’s Day weekend, the growing season was also very good.”

Idaho growers planted 312,000 acres of spuds in 2024, with Russet varieties such as Burbank, Norkotah, Ranger and Western making up more than 90 percent of the acreage. That’s down about 15,000 acres from the year before, but Blacker said the 2024 acreage was more typical and produced yields similar to the average yields in earlier years. “The quality looks exceptionally good — I’ve heard that from all over the state,” he said.

Size matters

This year’s healthy potato crop means retailers can expect to see good consistency and quality throughout the season, said Blacker, along with more jumbo tubers.

“Our size profile is better than last year, so retailers will have their pick of bigger potatoes for 8- and 10-pound bags,” he said, and they may find it more difficult to fill 5- and 10-pound bags with smaller spuds.

Ross Johnson, IPC vice president of retail and international, called the boost in size a win-win for retailers since jumbo potatoes garner higher rings for stores. “Consumers like larger potatoes because it’s easier for them to peel one big potato rather than several smaller potatoes,” Johnson added. “We’re encouraging retailers to focus on 8-pound jumbo bags this year to take full advantage of their availability for promotions.”

Johnson advised retailers to show pictures of bags in bag ads rather than bulk images, so that consumers understand which specific product is on sale. Ads that use prepared images can increase total basket rings, with shoppers who purchase potatoes spending an average of $86 per trip compared with $43 for shoppers who do not buy spuds. IPC provides Idaho potato assets for use in-store and in ads to help retailers capture the 90 percent of consumers who associate potatoes with the Idaho brand.

Evolving Idaho crop

In addition to its longtime Russet variety dominance, Idaho is now the top volume supplier of yellow potatoes in the United States, said Johnson. “Many Idaho shippers can now provide Russet, yellow, red and specialty potatoes like fingerling potatoes — available in several colors and varieties — as a one-stop shop for retailers,” he said.

Combined with Idaho shippers’ ongoing investments in upgrading their sorting and packing facilities, said Blacker, retailers can look forward to a user-friendly experience when they opt for Idaho potatoes to capitalize on consumer demand for a premium product.

“Nearly three-fourths of U.S. consumers say they would be inclined to eat Idaho potatoes over potatoes from other states, and 90 percent associate potatoes with Idaho more than any other state in the country,” said Blacker. “Traditionally that has been a Russet potato, but today shoppers can choose from all different varieties while still enjoying the top quality attributes of an Idaho spud.”