Press Release - Colorado Potato Variety

NEWS RELEASE
United States Department of Agriculture
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
MOUNTAIN REGION FIELD OFFICE
P.O. BOX 150969 · Lakewood, CO 80215-0969

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2022

Contact: Rodger Ott
(800) 392-3902

POTATO VARIETIES 2022
SAN LUIS VALLEY, COLORADO
This report provides the results of a special survey of potato growers in the San Luis Valley, which was conducted to
evaluate potato varieties planted for the 2022 crop. The survey was conducted by the USDA/NASS Mountain Regional
Field Office with funding from the Colorado State University, San Luis Valley Research Center. Data was collected from
potato growers by return mail or by telephone interviews with enumerators. The survey was not sampled to provide a direct
expansion of seeded acreage by variety or a measure of the sampling error.
Russet varieties accounted for 74.2 percent of the reported acres of all potatoes planted in the San Luis Valley for the 2022
crop, compared with 91.8 percent in 2021. Yellow Flesh varieties were planted on 7.2 percent of the total acreage, which
was up from 4.8 percent in 2021. Red varieties represented 0.1 percent of the total, a decrease from 1.8 percent in 2021.
The remaining 18.6 percent of the total was made up of White, Fingerlings, and Other varieties.
Russet Norkotah continued its ranking as the most popular variety among producers by being planted on 42.4 percent of
the total potato acreage and accounted for 57.2 percent of all russet potatoes. Norkotah Selection 3 is the most popular,
accounting for 12.4 percent of the total acres planted. Norkotah 278 claimed 12.2 percent of the acreage; Norkotah
Selection 296 accounted for 11.4 percent of the planted acres. Norkotah Selection 8 had 5.0 percent of the planted acres.
The Reveille Russet ranked first among non-Norkotah russet varieties in 2022 by being planted on 15.8 percent of the total
acreage and representing 21.3 percent of all russet varieties. The Centennial Russet was the second most popular nonNorkotah russet variety, at 4.8 percent of the total acreage and 6.4 percent of all russet potatoes. Canela Russet planted
acreage accounted for 4.5 percent of planted acreage. All Other Russet varieties, which includes Classic, Mesa, Nugget,
Teton, and others, were planted on 6.7 percent of the total acreage in the San Luis Valley.
Red varieties accounted for 0.1 percent of the planted acreage in 2022. No variety or type received enough reports to
publish separately.
Yellow varieties accounted for 7.2 percent of the planted acreage in 2022. Soraya was the most planted accounting for 4.5
percent of the total acreage and represented 62.3 percent of all yellow flesh varieties. Yukon Gold was planted on 1.3
percent of the total acreage and represented 17.8 percent of all yellow flesh varieties. Other Yellow Flesh varieties totaled
1.5 percent of all potatoes planted.
Total White, Fingerlings and Other varieties, including research varieties, seed potatoes and other specialty type potatoes,
comprised the remaining 18.6 percent of the total potato acreage. No particular variety or type received enough reports to
publish separately.
Rodger Ott
Regional Director

Julie Irwin
Agricultural Statistician

NASS provides accurate, timely, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write:
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

2017
Crop

2019
Crop

2020
Crop

2021
Crop

Reported Percent of
All Potatoes

Variety

2022 Crop
Reported Percent
of
All Potatoes

Percent 1/

Reported Percent
of
Varietal Group

Percent 1/

Russet Varieties:
Russet Norkotah .....................................................

43.4

44.7

49.3

55.2

42.4

57.2

Norkotah 3 ............................................................

7.5

11.9

13.6

7.1

12.4

16.7

Norkotah 278 ........................................................

7.7

3.8

7.2

8.8

12.2

16.4

Norkotah 296 ........................................................

12.5

17.9

19.4

27.3

11.4

15.4

Norkotah 8 ............................................................

10.4

7.2

8.5

7.2

5.0

6.8

Norkotah, all other 2/ .............................................

5.4

3.9

0.6

4.8

1.4

1.9

Reveille Russet .......................................................

…

…

3.7

6.4

15.8

21.3

Centennial Russet ...................................................

4.3

8.0

12.5

5.0

4.8

6.4

Canela Russet.........................................................

10.4

10.6

12.6

12.3

4.5

6.1

Teton Russet...........................................................

5.2

D

D

4.8

D

D

Mesa Russet ...........................................................

…

6.1

3.4

2.6

D

D

Rio Grande Russet ..................................................

4.2

D

1.7

1.8

…

…

Classic Russet ........................................................

D

D

D

D

D

D

Other Russet 3/........................................................

13.5

5.7

4.3

3.6

6.7

9.0

TOTAL RUSSET .....................................................

80.9

75.1

87.5

91.8

74.2

100.0

Chieftain ..................................................................

D

…

1.7

D

…

…

Modoc .....................................................................

D

D

1.4

D

…

…

Other Red ...............................................................

5.1

5.4

1.5

1.8

D

D

TOTAL RED 4/ ........................................................

5.1

5.4

4.6

1.8

0.1

100.0

Soraya ....................................................................

…

1.5

1.4

1.2

4.5

62.3

Yukon Gold .............................................................

1.5

3.1

D

1.1

1.3

17.8

Alegria.....................................................................

D

…

1.1

1.0

D

D

Other Yellow 5/ ........................................................

5.0

8.0

2.7

1.5

1.5

19.9

TOTAL YELLOW FLESH .......................................

6.6

12.6

5.3

4.8

7.2

100.0

7.4

7.0

2.6

1.6

18.6

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Red Varieties:

Yellow Flesh Varieties:

White and Other Varieties:
TOTAL WHITE, FINGERLINGS and OTHER 6/ ......
TOTAL

1/ Totals may not add due to rounding.
2/ Other Norkotahs include Norkotah 112 and others.
3/ Other Russets for 2022 include Classic, Mesa, Nugget, Teton, and others.
4/ Reds for 2022 include all red varieties.
5/ Other Yellows for 2022 include Alegria and others.
6/ Other White and Other Varieties for 2022 include Austrian Crescent, Atlantic, Chipeta, and others.
… Indicates varietal percentage is very minor or not available.
D Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.