WA_FV158
MARCH 10, 2009  
WASHINGTON, D.C.


UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, SHIPMENTS ARE FOR THE WEEKS ENDING 
FEBRUARY 21, 28 AND MARCH 7, 2009 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND 
HUNDRED-WEIGHT (CWT) (100,000 LBS) UNITS. EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE 
PERIOD MARCH 08-21, 2009.  PRICES ARE FOR MONDAY, MARCH 09, 2009 
COMPARED WITH MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2009. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED 
SALES ARE F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS (INCLUDING DELIVERED SALES 
F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS) OR PORT OF ENTRY AND EXTRA SERVICES ARE 
INCLUDED. PRICES REPRESENT OPEN (SPOT) MARKET SALES BY FIRST HANDLERS 
ON PRODUCT OF GENERALLY GOOD QUALITY AND CONDITION UNLESS OTHERWISE 
STATED AND MAY INCLUDE PROMOTIONAL ALLOWANCES OR OTHER INCENTIVES. 
NO CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO AFTER-SALE ADJUSTMENTS UNLESS OTHERWISE 
STATED. BROKERAGE FEES PAID BY SHIPPER ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRICE REPORTED.




ONIONS AND POTATOES

---ONIONS, DRY
   UNITED STATES---Shipments (including imports) 848*-852-932---The top 
shipping areas for the week, in order, were, Idaho and Malheur County 
Oregon, Washington, Mexico, New York and Southern California.  In the 
Market News Service weekly survey of roughly 17,000 individual stores, 
5,311 retail stores had onions on ad (3-pound bag of Yellow and Sweet 
Yellow onions by the pound).  This was an eight percent increase from 
last week and a thirty-nine percent increase from a year ago.  *revised.
   IDAHO AND MALHUER COUNTY OREGON---Shipments 309-285*-297---Movement 
expected to remain about the same.  Trading Yellow medium fairly active, 
White and Red fairly slow, others moderate.  Prices Yellow colossal, Red 
and White medium lower, others generally unchanged.  Yellow Spanish 
Hybrid 50-pound sacks super colossal 7.00-8.00, colossal 5.00-6.00, 
jumbo mostly 4.50, medium mostly 4.50.  White 50-pound sacks large 6.00-
8.00, medium mostly 6.00.  Red 25-pound sacks large mostly 6.00-6.50, 
medium 4.00-5.00.  *revised.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON AND UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments 285-
279*-265 (includes exports of 60-68-41)---Movement expected remain about 
the same.  Trading Red and White fairly slow, others moderate.  Prices 
Red jumbo lower, others generally unchanged.  Yellow Hybrid 50-pound 
sacks jumbo mostly 4.50, medium mostly 4.50.  White 50-pound sacks jumbo 
4.00-8.00, medium 4.00-7.00.  Red Globe Type 25-pound sacks jumbo 5.00-
6.00, medium 3.00-3.50.  Unofficial prices for Monday March 9, 2009;  
Organic Yellow Hybrid 50-pound sacks 10.00-12.00, medium 10.00-12.00, 
40-pound carton jumbo 10.00-14.00 mostly 11.00, medium 9.00-10.00, 
master container 16 3-pound mesh sacks medium 13.00-14.50, Red Globe 
Type 50-pound sacks jumbo 12.00-13.25, medium 12.00-13.00, 40-pound 
cartons jumbo 13.00-16.00, medium 12.00-13.00.  *revised.
   MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS---Shipments 123-154-220---
Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  
Prices White jumbo higher, Yellow sacks medium, Yellow carton jumbo and 
Reds lower, others generally unchanged.  Yellow Grano 50-pound sacks 
colossal 10.00, jumbo 8.00-9.00, medium 9.00-10.00, Yellow Grano-Marked 
Sweet 40-pound carton colossal 12.00-14.00, jumbo mostly 12.00, White 
50-pound sack jumbo mostly 7.00, medium 7.00-8.00, Red 25-pound sack 
jumbo mostly 7.00, medium mostly 5.00.  Shipments for the week of 
February 8-14 were seventy-three percent Yellow, nine percent White, 
eighteen percent Red, according to the Inspection Service.
   WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK---Shipments 52-54-66---Movement expected 
to decrease slightly. Trading fairly slow. Prices yellow lower, red 
unchanged. U.S. One Yellow Globe Type 50 pound sacks medium 2 1/4 inch
minimum 8.00-8.50, 2 inch minimum 7.00-7.50, master container 16 3-pound
medium 2 1/4 inch minimum mostly 9.00-9.50, 2 inch minimum 8.50-9.00, 
Red Globe Type 25 pound sacks jumbo 6.50-7.50, medium 4.00-5.00.
   LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY TEXAS---Shipments 0-0-17---Movement expected 
to increase as more shippers start to harvest.  Unofficial prices for 
Monday March 9, 2009;  Yellow Grano-Marked Sweet 40-pound carton jumbo 
14.00-16.00.  
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 19-17-16---Movement expected to decrease as more 
growers finish for the season. Trading fairly slow for fairly light 
supplies. Prices unchanged. U.S. One Yellow Globe Type 50 pound sacks 
medium 7.50-8.00, repacker size mostly 7.50-8.00, master container 16 3-
pound medium 9.00-10.00, repacker size 8.50-9.50, Red Globe Type 25 
pound sacks jumbo 7.00-7.50.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 11-12-11---Movement expected to remain 
about the same.  Unofficial prices for Monday, March 9, 2009, Yellow 
Globe Type 16 3-pound mesh sacks medium mostly 8.25-9.50.
   UTAH---Shipments 5-7-7---Movement expected to decrease seasonally.  
Supplies in too few hands to establish a market.
   CHILE---Imports 1-3-4---Movement expected to remain about the same.  
Based on departure date as of March 1, 2009 from Chile, 294,160 40-pound 
cartons have left for U.S. ports compared to 516,738 a year ago.  The 
final totals for last season were 580,968 40-pound cartons.

---ONIONS FOR PROCESSING
   WESTERN U.S.---Shipments 154-148-143---Movement expected to remain 
about the same.

---POTATOES
   UNITED STATES---Shipments (not including imports) 1678*-1813*-1745---
The top shipping states, in order, were Idaho, Colorado, 
Washington/Oregon, Wisconsin and Minnesota/North Dakota.  The Market 
News Service survey of roughly 17,000 retail stores had potatoes on ad 
last week in 7,867 stores.  This was a ten percent increase in stores 
from the previous week.  Diesel prices averaged 2.05 per gallon, four 
cents less than the previous week, for the national average in the 
latest Energy Department weekly survey.  *revised.
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS, BURLEY DISTRICT, ID---Shipments 650-605-
591---Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading early active, 
late fairly active on baled, moderate on cartons.  Prices cartons 
slightly higher, baled slightly lower.  Russet Burbank U.S. One baled 5 
10-pound film bags non size A mostly 4.75-5.25, 50-pound cartons 40-60s 
11.00-11.50, 70s mostly 11.00, 80s 11.00-11.50, 90-100s mostly 10.00.  
Russet Norkotah U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A 4.75-
5.25, 50-pound cartons 40-50s 9.00-10.00, 60s 10.00, 70-100s mostly 
10.00.  Last weeks shipments were sixty-four percent Russet Burbank and 
twenty-seven percent Russet Norkotah.
   SAN LUIS VALLEY, COLORADO---Shipments 286-281*-303---Movement 
expected to increase slightly.  Trading slow.  Prices baled and bulk 
lower, cartons higher.  Russet Norkotah U.S. One baled 5 10-pound 
film bags size A 7.00, 50-pound cartons 40s 8.50-9.00, 50s mostly 10.00-
10.50, 60-80s mostly 10.50, 90-100s mostly 9.50-10.00, U.S. Commercial  
Bulk per cwt mostly 10.00.  Unofficial prices for organic potatoes for 
Tuesday, March 9, 2009;  Round Red baled 10 5-pound film bags size A 
19.00, Yellow Type baled 10 5-pound film bags size A 20.00, Russet 
Norkotah baled 10 5-pound film bags size A 14.50, 50-pound cartons 70-
90s 18.75.  *revised.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON AND UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments 151-
165-153 (Includes export of 18-21-25)---Movement expected to remain 
about the same.  Trading cartons moderate, baled fairly slow.  Prices 
cartons 50-90s slightly higher, baled lower, others generally unchanged.  
Russet Norkotah U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A mostly 
5.00-5.50, 50-pound cartons 40s 10.00-12.00, 50s 12.00, 60-70s mostly 
12.00, 80s 11.00-12.00, 90s 10.00-11.00, 100s 9.00-10.00.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 125-154-150---Movement expected to 
remain about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices carton 50-70s slightly 
higher, baled slightly lower, others generally unchanged.  Russet 
Norkotah U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags size A 7.75-8.50, 50-pound 
cartons 50-70s 11.50-12.50, 80s mostly 11.00, 90s mostly 10.00, 100s 
9.50-10.00.  Round Red U.S. One 50-pound sacks size A mostly 9.00-9.50, 
size B 15.00-16.00.
   FLORIDA---Shipments 42-108-127---Movement expected to increase as all 
central Florida shippers are now harvesting.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices 
Round Red and Round White lower, Yellow Type higher.  Round Red U.S. One 
baled 5 10-pound film bags size A mostly 15.00, 50-pound sacks size A 
mostly 13.00, size B mostly 14.00, tote bags approximately 2,000 pounds 
per cwt size A 24.00-25.00.  Round White U.S. One 50-pound sacks size A 
mostly 23.00, size B mostly 16.00-18.00.  Yellow Type U.S. One 50-pound 
sacks size A 27.00, size B 20.00.
   MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA (RED RIVER VALLEY)---Shipments 92-129*-125---
Movement expected to increase slightly.  Trading size A active, size B 
fairly slow.  Prices size B lower, other generally unchanged.  Round Red 
U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags size A mostly 9.75-10.25, 50-pound 
sacks size A mostly 9.00-9.50, size B mostly 14.00, tote bags 
approximately 2,000 pounds per cwt size A mostly 16.00-17.00.  *revised.
   AROOSTOOK COUNTY MAINE---Shipments 67-59*-64---Movement expected to 
decrease slightly.  Trading moderate on Round Whites, slow on Russets.  
Prices unchanged.  Round White U.S. One washed 2 inch minimum baled 10 
5-pound film bags mostly 10.50-11.50, baled 5 10-pound film bags mostly 
10.00-10.50, 10 pound open window sacks loose mostly 2.10-2.20, 2 1/4
inch minimum baled 10 5-pound film bags mostly 13.50-14.50, Russet 
Norkotah U.S.One baled 10 5-pound film bags mostly 9.50-10.00.  Supplies
of Round Whites light and in few hands.  *revised.
   NEBRASKA DISTRICT---Shipments 42-70*-54---Movement expected to remain 
about the same.  Too few open market sales to establish a market.  
*revised.
   KLAMATH BASIN DISTRICT---Shipments 56-57-51---Movement expected to 
remain about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  
Russet Norkotah baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A mostly 5.50-6.00, 
50-pound cartons 50-70s mostly 12.00-13.00, 80s mostly 12.00, 90s mostly 
11.00, 100s mostly 10.00.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 32-50-34---Movement expected about the same.  
Trading slow.  Prices unchanged.  Russet Norkotah and Goldrush U.S. One 
10 pound film bags loose size A 1.90-2.10, Round White supplies 
insufficient to establish a market.  
   NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON DISTRICT---Shipments 28-37-28---Movement 
expected to remain about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices size B 
lower, others generally unchanged.  Round Red U.S. One 50-pound cartons 
size A mostly 16.00, size B mostly 18.00-20.00.
   KERN DISTRICT CALIFORNIA---Shipments 39-38-24---Movement expected to 
decrease sharply as the winter harvest finishes.  Three grower-shippers 
were packing local supplies (winter harvest).  Harvest of winter potatoes 
is rapidly winding down.  One shipper has finished available supplies, 
while others are expecting to finish by week ending March 21.  Remaining 
supplies are extremely light with much of the volume expected to be 
packed as U.S. Two Grade.
   BIG LAKE-CENTRAL MINNESOTA---Shipments 5-4-4---Movement expected to 
remain about the same.  Too few open market sales to establish a market.
   NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA (crossings through Maine Points)---Shipments 24-
**-**---Movement expected about the same. Trading slow.  Prices 
unchanged.  Russet Norkotah U.S. One or Canada One baled 10 5-pound film 
bags 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum mostly 9.50-10.00, 50 pound cartons 60-
100s mostly 9.50-10.00.  **unavailable.   
   IMPERIAL VALLEY CALIFORNIA DISTRICT---Shipments 0-0-0---Harvest will 
begin in the  Imperial Valley or close proximity on March 10.  Initial 
supplies are expected to be light, with volume shipments not available 
until month's end.

---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers inactive
   MICHIGAN---Shipments to Chippers 201*-237*-220---Movement expected 
about the same.  Trading slow.  Most movement on pre-season contract.   
Too few open market sales to establish a market.  *revised.  
   MAINE---Shipments to Chippers 38-41*-41---Movement expected about the 
same.  Most movement on pre-season contract.  Too few open market sales 
to establish a market.  *revised.
   WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK---Shipments to Chippers 30-43-45---
Movement expected about the same.   Trading slow.  Most movement on pre-
season contract.  Few open market sales of Round Whites 85% or better 
U.S. One 1 7/8 inch minimum of good chipping quality bulk per cwt 13.50.  
   PENNSYLVANIA---Shipments to Chippers 12-14-11---Movement expected to 
increase slightly.  Most movement on pre-season contract.  Too few open 
market sales to establish a market.