<p>Idaho potato prices have dipped to near or below the cost of production. Prices paid to growers peaked in August, and have continued to decrease through November. Now, the market appears to have bottomed out.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In August, the prices paid to potato growers was at its peak at $15.70 per hundredweight. Many growers responded by killing vines early in order to cash-in. This resulted in a flooded market. According to USDA, growers were paid an average of only $8 per hundredweight in October. Prices have not improved since then.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">On the retail side, the prices consumers paid for potato cartons declined during that time, but consumer bag prices actually rose during the same period.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">These changes have left many anticipating a price increase in the near future.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">One Idaho grower told AndNowUKnow, "As supplies decrease, we expect prices to increase slightly post-holiday and sharply in summer. However, if we have quality issues like last year it will compound matters."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as more information becomes available.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
