Potato Program

Since 20/20 Produce shipped our first load back in 1993, our potato program has evolved and continued to grow with the changing dynamics of the industry.  We now ship from 5 Idaho facilities as well as facilities in Colorado, Washington and Nebraska.  Our philosophy for potatoes is simple "work with the right size shippers who better manage their production, yielding the best possible results."

POTATO AVAILABILITY

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

Idaho Russet Burbank

Idaho Russet Norkotah

Colorado Russet

Nebraska Russet

Washington Russet

Red Potato

Yukon Gold

Russian Banana Fingerling

Peruvian Purple

Packs:

20/20 Produce offers a full-line of count cartons, and all size consumer packs on russet potatoes from Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington State.  Red and Yukon Gold Potatoes are available in both 50lb Cartons, and bags, or in any size consumer pack that you require.  Fingerling, and purple potatoes come sized, packed in 50lb, 20lb or 10lb cartons.  Our facility diversification allows us to meet any specialty pack need that you may have.  If you require a specific pack weight, pre-washed foil wrapped potatoes, or any other specific packaging we are happy to accommodate your needs. 

 Colors and Sizes:  

Carton Sizes
 

Russet Burbank or Norkotah	Minimum	Maximum
Sizes	Ounces	Ounces
Under 50	15	--
50 count	12	19
60 count	10	16
70 count	9	15
80 count	8	13
90 count	7	12
100 count	6	10
110 count	5	9
120 and over	4	8

Sizes on Specialty Potatoes 

Reds and Yukons 

	Minimum	Minimum	Maximum	Maximum
Size	Inches	Ounces	Inches	Ounces
Premium	2-3/4	--	--	--
Size A	2-1/4	--	3	--
Size B	1 1/2	--	2 1/4	--
Size C		--	1 1/2	--

Common Idaho Varieties:

Russet Burbank – This well-known variety serves as a standard for all russet-type variety trials. Russet Burbank is late maturing, medium to high yielding with relatively thin and light brown color skin and long tuber type. It is useful for fresh market and processing. Russet Burbank has medium specific gravity and usually fries well.  Strengths: storability, medium to high yields, culinary quality.  Weaknesses: susceptibility to stress induced malformations, hollow heart, brown center, and sugar ends, susceptibility to net necrosis, early dying and abundance of undersize tubers.

Russet Norkotah – A very early maturing, low to medium yielding variety with medium russet skin and long tuber type. It resulted from a cross of ND9526-4Russ and ND9687- 5Russ. It is useful for fresh market. Russet Norkotah has low specific gravity and fries moderately poor from 45°F storage. Strengths: early maturity, attractive appearance, uniform shape. Weaknesses: low specific gravity, sugar accumulation during storage, common occurrence of very low yields due to high susceptibility to early dying, occasional disagreeable flavor.

Ranger Russet – A medium to late maturing, medium to high yielding variety with medium russet skin, and long tuber type that is similar in appearance to Russet Burbank. It resulted from a cross of Butte and A6595-3. It is useful for processing market and is the third most widely grown variety in the U.S. Ranger has medium to high specific gravity and good fry color from 45°F storage. Strengths: resistance to internal defects including hollow heart, brown center, and net necrosis, high yield of large tubers, resistance to early dying, PVX and PVY. Weaknesses: susceptibility to scab, tendency for deep eyes, susceptibility to stress induced malformities, blackspot bruise, and late blight tuber rot.

Western Russet  – A medium maturing, medium to high yielding selection with heavy russet skin and long tuber type. It resulted from a cross of A68113-4 and Belrus. It produces a high proportion of U.S. No. 1 tubers, has medium specific gravity and may be useful for fresh and processing markets. Strengths: resistance to malformations, internal defects and shatter bruise. Weaknesses: Sugar accumulation in storage causing occasional dark fries, susceptibility to blackspot bruise.

Cal Red – Bright-red skin color that does not fade in cooking or storage.  Round and smooth in shape, shallow eyes, and medium specific gravity for reds.  White flesh.  Selected in 1981 from a cross between the Bison and Sangre varieties in Aberdeen Idaho, formally named A79543-4.  Released by the University of California in 2000.  Early to medium maturing fresh market red potato.  Appearance is waxy, makes a good potato salad, skin color stays red.

Yukon Gold – Relatively light yellow skin color, yellow interior with moist flesh.  Shallow eyes that are well distributed.  Medium specific gravity.  Released in 1981 jointly by Agriculture Canada and the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.  This is an early to medium maturing fresh-market, yellow flesh potato.  This is the most commonly produced yellow-fleshed variety in Idaho.  Originally marketed as having a buttery flavor, this comes from a combination of the yellow flesh and moist texture.  Good potato flavor.  In foodservice, chefs have gravitated to the Yukon Gold image as a positive one for menu branding.  Primarily used as mashed and in salad preparations.  Roasted or broiled are also popular cooking procedures.

Fingerling – Most common varieties are Ratte, French Fingerling, Russian Banana, Peanut, and Ruby Crescent (red skinned).  Appearance depends on the variety, but most are small, oblong, or long and light skinned.  Most have a butter-colored, pale-yellow interior.  Flavor profile is mild when boiled or baked, but earthy when roasted.  Russian Banana has a rich, buttery flavor; French Fingerling has a delicate, nutty flavor.  Mostly used for fresh market.  Great for potato salads, roasting, or sautéing.