Monte Vista, CO — With an ongoing drought a major factor in the San Luis Valley's potato industry, planting this coming season could be down between 8 and 10 percent from last year's 55,000 acres.

Jim Ehrlich, executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee based on Monte Vista, told The Produce News in mid-April he had “no way of knowing” going into planting, but he said given circumstances he looks for it to be down.Farm machinery from a bygone era reminds residents and visitors alike of the importance potatoes have in the San Luis Valley's history and economy. Shown are CPAC Assistant Director Linda Weyers, Executive Director Jim Ehrlich and Marketing Administrative Assistant Racheal Werner.

“It could be between 50,000 and 52,000 acres, but right now we just don't know,” Ehrlich said. Acreage in 2014 was bumped up from the previous year's 49,700 acres, and Colorado's largest potato production area saw an overall better growing season. Summer hail hit just under 4,000 acres, but nonetheless shipments year-to-date for March 2015 were up from the previous year.

Total shipments to date for the current season were recorded at 19,980, up from 19,124 in 2014. That number remains down from previous years: 2011 saw shipments hitting 23,511 year to date in March; 2012 logged 22,754; and 2013 came in at 21,069.

“Water supplies this year could fall to between one-half and two-thirds of normal,” Ehrlich said. “There's no reason to think this drought is going to end anytime soon.”

Ehrlich said growers would be planting as usual in late April and into May, and he noted an increase in demand for yellow spuds. The March Spud Facts from CPAC confirmed the demand, showing yellows to make up just under 16 percent of the 2014-15 crop. In 2014 yellows were slightly over 12 percent, and in the three previous years they were in single-digit percentages.

Reds had slipped a little in 2014-15, down to 5.8 percent from 6.9 percent in 2013-14.

Ehrlich said as demand trends change, research continues on varieties that provide not only good taste and storability but also resistance to blight and disease.

“Right now there's a new russet called the Fortress that is PVY-resistant,” he said, adding, “Growers are showing interest.”

There is also research being conducted on other projects, including a proposal to replace San Luis Valley plum trees with shade trees.

The plum trees, Ehrlich said, harbor the green peach aphid, which attacks potatoes as well as the tree fruit.

“We're looking at replacing those trees, but we're also working on an overall aphid control study,” he said.

While production in the San Luis Valley continues at a steady pace, CPAC also continues to work behind the scenes on administrative fronts. Ehrlich said trade with Mexico remains a big focus, and he said, “In mid-March there was the ANTAD show in Guadalajara, and we had Roger Christensen of Maverick, Jere Metz of Farm Fresh, Angelia Diera of Skyline and Ryan Haynie of RPE attend for CPAC. There was a Colorado Pavilion at the show, and there is a lot of interest in getting U.S. potatoes to Mexico.”

Ehrlich said that eight lawsuits have been filed in Mexican courts by growers in that country that block importing U.S. potatoes farther into the country than the 26-kilometer buffer zone. In May 2014 restrictions effected several years ago limiting shipments from going into Mexico's interior were lifted, providing Colorado potatoes a significant market and answering demand for the spuds. The policy was short-lived, however, with the 26-kilometer buffer reinstated in June 2014.

The judges' decisions will determine if U.S. potatoes will go farther into Mexico.

“We should know in the next year whether or not the 26-kilometer access is valid,” he said. “In theory the judges could allow us to continue to ship into the country. Most likely they will not.”

CPAC also attended Colorado's Ag Day at the state's capital in Denver in March, and Ehrlich said he will attend an upcoming meeting in Washington, DC, to discuss issues and strategies common to state managers from across the nation.