The 2024 harvest season is about to start for potato growers in Washington and Oregon. Depending on their operation plans, growers could begin collecting crops any time between now and early September. And while some cooler, wetter weather isn’t expected to impact potato quality significantly, some suppliers are bringing a smaller volume of crop to market to accommodate an industrywide oversupply.

USDA estimates that Washington produced 99.7 million hundredweight of potatoes during the 2023 crop year, with about 10% of that destined for fresh market. This year’s total potato production will be down due to a reduction in planted acres.

Several growers reported lower potato prices and higher production costs have led to tight farm margins. However, consumer demand remains relatively steady.

Read more on the upcoming potato crop.