Over 7,000 Red River Valley acres lost to weather

A flooded and hail damaged field near Crystal, North Dakota. on July 21. Photo: NPPGA

Roughly one-third, or 7,000 to 7,800 acres of the Red River Valley fresh market potatoes have been lost to excessive rain, and hail damage in northeast North Dakota according to an informal survey of wash plants conducted last week. Seed and chipping potatoes in the area have suffered damage also and are not included in that talley.

Counties hardest hit in North Dakota are Pembina and Walsh and in Minnesota, Kittson and Polk.

Some hail damaged fields in northeast North Dakota have re-leafed and will produce some potatoes but yields and quality will suffer. Some encouraging news, potato fields south of Grand Forks and outside the Red River Valley appear to be in great shape. There are also fields north of Grand Forks that have escaped major damage. 

The fresh potato harvest and shipping season is well underway in the Long Prairie and Big Lake areas of Minnesota. Some of those potatoes are being washed and packed by Red River Valley wash plants but the harvest in the valley is still several weeks away. Supplies should be adequate at the start of the Red River Valley shipping season but several plants will wrap up earlier than normal in the spring.

— Ted Kreis, NPPGA Communications

Source: Northern Plains Potato Growers Association