Pacific NW Corn, Sugar Beets, Potatoes

The USDA’s most recent crop production report has been released for the Pacific Northwest, covering corn for grain, sugarbeets, and potatoes. All three crops have forecasts of production increases across the board over last year’s numbers.

Grain Corn Increase Highest in Washington

Corn for grain production for Washington is forecast to be 21.2 million bushels, up 20% from last year, due in part to an increase of 10,000 acres of harvested area. Expected yield is 235 bushels per acre, up 15 bushels from 2022.

Idaho’s corn grain production is forecast to be 9% higher than last year at 25.8 million bushels. However, Idaho’s yield is forecast to be 215 bushels per acre, down one bushel from 2022.

Sugarbeet Production Surges in Oregon

Oregon’s sugarbeet production is predicted to be 43 percent higher than 2022, at 383,000 tons. Harvested area has increased 2,500 acres and yield is expected to increase 2.9 tons per acre.

Sugarbeet production in Idaho is forecast at 6.82 million tons, an increase of 5 percent. Yield is predicted to be up 1.3 tons per acre higher, with 3,000 acres of increased harvest area.

Washington sugarbeet production is expected to increase 2 percent, to 90,000 tons, with yield up 0.7 tons per acre. The harvested area has not changed.

Idaho Leads Potato Production For 2023

Idaho’s potato production is forecast to be 18% higher over last year’s harvest, at an expected 142 hundredweight (cwt), with yield increasing 20 cwt per acre. Gains are highest in the harvested area, which is up 35,500 acres.

Potato production in Oregon and Washington are both expected to be increased by 6% this year, at 27.2 million cwt and 101 million cwt respectively. Oregon’s harvested area increased by 2,000 acres, while Washington’s area remains the same.

For full charts, please refer to the press release.