10 October 2022
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Association says this year's crop is better than 2020-21 harvest.
GROWERS in the USA's Red River Valley are counting their blessings this season, as the harvest, now under way, is promising much better quality than last year.
Associated Potato Growers is the only grower-owned cooperative in the Red River Valley, with 17 farmers working in Minnesota and North Dakota.
CEO Mike Torgerson said: “The 2021-22 season had some challenges owing to some quality issues from a very hot dry growing season. So far, 2022/2023 is looking like a great quality crop.”
APG has been in business since 1948, shipping all over the USA to wholesalers which supply grocery stores. The company also works with private labels.
“We supply both red and yellow varieties, with the yellow varieties on the rise the past few years,” Mike said. “With a recent rain to soften up the dirt lumps, things are looking very well to store our crop. We wash from October to June or July typically.”
The company has three locations in the Red River Valley — Grand Forks, Grafton, and Drayton, which helps with diversity among the potatoes. This year, the company is adding more automated potato grading machines to palletizing equipment in an effort to speed up production and deal with labour issues.
Source: The Produce News
