Over 60 growers from 11 production regions continued efforts to increase returns under process potato contracts in North America.
Meeting July 11 in Brandon, MB, Canada, the Potato Marketing Association of North America unanimously agreed to seek a 75 cent/cwt increase for 2001 contract price in the United States and a corresponding increase with regard to the exchange rate in Canada.
The need for the increase is due to rising input costs for producers, including fuel, crop protection costs, electrical, interest rates and land rents.
The Lamb-Weston grower committee will be meeting with that company July 20 in Richland, WA, to deliver the concerns. Other processor committees will be pursing corporate meetings with their respective processors in the near future.
The next meeting of the PMANA will be Aug. 5 in Minneapolis, MN.