Colorado potato production decrease reflects fewer harvested acres

Potato growers in Colorado produced an estimated 19.67 million cwt of potatoes this year, down 9% from last year’s crop.

Potatoes produced in the San Luis Valley totaled 18.39 million cwt compared with 20.12 million cwt produced last year.

Potatoes grown in all other areas in Colorado totaled 1.27 million cwt compared with 1.60 million cwt last year.

Average yield — 386 cwt per acre — decreased nine cwt per acre from the combined yield last year. The harvested area, estimated at 51,000 acres is down from the 55,000 acres harvested last year.

RELATED: Harvest reports from around the U.S.

Variety breakdown

A special survey conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) details potato variety planting breakdown for the San Luis Valley in Colorado.

Total potato acreage planted in 2019 in the San Luis Valley was estimated at 48,600 acres.

• Russet varieties accounted for 75.1% of the planted acres. Norkotah strains were 44.7% of the total acreage, followed by Canela (10.6%), Centennial (8%) and Mesa (6.1%).
• Yellows accounted for 12.6% of the total acreage.
• Reds were 5.4%.
• Whites, fingerlings and other varieties were 7%.

This information was compiled and released by the NASS Mountain Region Field Office with funding from the Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research Center. Data was collected from potato growers by return mail or by telephone interviews with enumerators.