Vegetable/Potato Industry Snapshot

Fresh market vegetables

• Results were quite variable across the Northeast largely due to localized weather conditions. Excessive moisture, and in some areas, flooding, negatively impacted many growers, particularly near the Connecticut river corridor in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and parts of Eastern New York. In contrast, many vegetable growers in New Jersey reported favorable weather, good yields, and decent prices in 2023. High costs for inputs and labor kept profits moderate, but generally positive for most growers.

• Farm stands have seen solid traffic although sales remain (in many cases) below the 2021 peak.

Potatoes

• Potatoes in Massachusetts and Connecticut showed significant quality problems which resulted in lower prices for growers. This was related to the excessive moisture experienced during the growing season.

• Maine’s 2023 crop harvest came in lower than 2022, but still 9% above the 5-year average. Overall crop quality was good. Processors in the area ran short of 2022 crop so a larger percentage of the 2023 crop was harvested and processed immediately.

• Contract values for the 2023 crop season remain strong, once again showing strong increases in pricing. Contract pricing is up by 17%-22%, which translates into $2-2.40 per cwt. It is expected that these increases should offset what will once again be a more expensive crop than the prior year. Cost increases were less pronounced than last year with fertilizer prices being around $100 per ton higher. Capital and repair costs remain elevated from last year, while fuel prices have trended lower. Little change has been seen in chemical costs.