Salute to Idaho Agriculture: Potato acreage up 12%

BURLEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Idaho Farm Bureau noted a twelve percent increase in the amount of potato farming acreage in 2023 compared to 2022, mostly due to higher farm-level prices.

Last year, the state farmed 295 thousand total acres of potatoes and this year that number is closer to 330 thousand.

Oakley farmer Randy Hardy is one of the farmers capitalizing on this good year.

“I think it’s good that we promote and have a good quality crop. And you hear about more acres more potatoes and that tends to get people in a depressed mind because oh no the prices are going to crash, but I think it’s good to look at the positive side that we’re going to have a good quality crop,” Hardy said.

With so much more acreage this year compared to last obviously the crop output is going to be much higher as well, but just how high will it go?

The Idaho Farm Bureau estimates that 2023 could be the second-best year for potato production in Idaho history at 14.7 billion pounds.

This number only trails the record of 15.2 billion pounds set back in 2000.

“It does appear to be a good crop coming on, the last two years have been a challenge thanks to weather mainly, hot, dry weather,” Hardy said.

“This seems to be the perfect year even though we’ve had some challenges with hail and heavy rain and that kind of thing, but for some reason the potatoes have liked it and it looks like a pretty good crop coming.”

There is still a month and a half or so until harvest is complete and then we will find out if this year is as good as the Farm Bureau’s projections say.

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