Alberta potato acres will be down slightly this year, said the manager of the Potato Growers of Alberta.
Alan Stuart said he expects about 2,000 fewer acres to be seeded this year because of a smaller demand for processing potatoes in Manitoba.
“Their requirements are nil because Manitoba had a huge crop last year,” said Stuart.
He estimates seed potato acres to be up 1,000 acres from last year’s 8,484, table potato acres down 500 acres from last year’s 5,085 and processing potato acres down 1,200 acres from last year’s 13,870.
About two-thirds of Alberta’s potatoes are grown in the southern Alberta irrigation belt. They were seeded early and are coming up well, said Stuart.
