The state had an outstanding harvest season with great conditions in September and October
By Tamas Houlihan, Executive Director, WPVGA
Crop Report: Late Start, Great Finish
The Wisconsin potato crop report can be summed up in four words: Late Start, Great Finish! The 2022 Wisconsin potato crop got off to a late start due to cold and wet weather in April. Planting was delayed and the crop was about two weeks behind schedule throughout much of the growing season.
Mostly dry conditions persisted throughout the summer, although there were a few timely rainfalls. With the extensive use of irrigation, the crop turned out very well. Pest pressure was not severe, and there was no late blight in Wisconsin in 2022.
Wisconsin had an outstanding harvest season, with close to ideal conditions throughout September and October in most of the state’s primary growing regions.
Yields were average and quality was excellent. Statewide yields averaged about 425 cwt. (hundredweight)/acre on 63,000 acres of potatoes. This puts the state’s production at 26.775 million cwt., a decrease of 525,000 cwt., or 2% compared to last year.
Total planted acres are down from last year, which was reported to be approximately 65,000. This year, the estimate is 63,000 planted acres. The decline in production is primarily due to the decrease in acreage. Yields are up approximately 5 cwt./acre over last year.
