Potatoes
Solanum tuberosum
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are a cool-season annual tuber crop well-suited to Zones 3-11, thriving in well-drained acidic soils with consistent moisture. They are a major commercial crop for fresh market, chipping, and seed, with high value but intensive management needs.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Growing Season
- Plant
- April to early June – April to early June
- Harvest
- July to October – July to October
- Frost-free days
- 120+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,000
Yield
- Typical yield
- 270 cwt/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 25 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
Established crop with known regional buyers
Price Trend Stable/Up
Price stable over past 3 years
Supply Below Demand
Regional supply roughly balanced with demand
Multiple Buyer Channels
Multiple market channels: wholesale, retail, processing, and/or direct
Value-Added Potential
Limited value-added processing opportunities
Market Growth Projected
Stable market outlook
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Region's hardiness zone within crop range (3.0-11.0)
GDD Sufficient
Regional GDD (2600) meets crop requirement (1000)
Precipitation Compatible
Regional precipitation (~40 in/yr) compatible with crop needs
Frost-Free Season OK
Frost-free season (160 days) meets crop requirement (120 days)
Chill Hours Met
Chill hour requirement N/A for this crop type or met by default
Climate Trend Favorable
Climate projections remain favorable for this crop in the region
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
Standard farm equipment compatible or easily adapted
Storage Available
Dry/ambient storage sufficient; commonly available on farms
Irrigation Compatible
Irrigation beneficial; existing vineyard irrigation systems adaptable
Field Layout Suitable
Vineyard field layouts suitable for this crop
Labor Availability
Moderate labor requirements; manageable with planning
Processing Proximity
Processing/packing facilities within viable distance in WNY
Equipment Requirements
planting
Cup-type or pick-type planter that handles seed pieces. Single-row planters available for smaller operations ($2,000-$4,000).
Cuts whole seed potatoes into pieces with at least 2 eyes each. Hand cutting is feasible for small acreages.
cultivation
Used to hill soil around potato stems to prevent greening and increase tuber zone. Multiple passes needed through the season.
spraying
Essential for fungicide and insecticide applications. Potatoes require frequent spray programs (every 5-10 days for late blight management).
harvesting
Single-row diggers ($3,000-$8,000) lift and windrow tubers for hand pickup. Multi-row harvesters ($50,000+) for larger operations.
irrigation
Overhead or drip irrigation. Critical during tuber initiation and bulking (1-2 inches per week). Drip preferred for plasticulture systems.
general
Used model sufficient. Must power planter, sprayer, hiller, and harvester. 50 HP minimum for conventional, 75 HP for larger implements.
post_harvest
For grading tubers by size and removing defects. Can be as simple as a roller table for small operations.
Storage Requirements
Seed potatoes
Temperature
38–40°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
240 days
Table stock (fresh market)
Temperature
45–50°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
150 days
Processing stock (chipping/frying)
Temperature
50–55°F
Humidity
95–98%
Max Storage
180 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue ($1,400/acre) below regional average
Input Costs Acceptable
Annual operating costs ($900/acre) within typical farm budgets
Payback Period OK
Annual crop; returns in first season
Insurance Available
Federal crop insurance available
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Revenue per labor hour ($56) is competitive
Grants/Subsidies
Grant and subsidy programs available (Specialty Crop Block Grant, EQIP, Beginning Farmer, etc.)
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $5/per cwt |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $1,400 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $900/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $200/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $500 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Available |
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA RMA, regional budget studies (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
Significant pest/disease pressure requiring intensive management
Market Diversified
Market access diversified across multiple channels
Low Establishment Risk
Low establishment risk; quick to establish or low upfront investment
Climate Resilient
Moderate climate resilience for the region
Regulatory Burden Low
Minimal regulatory burden for production and sale
Diversifies Portfolio
Diversifies farm revenue away from grape monoculture
Known Risks
disease
Destructive oomycete disease causing water-soaked lesions on leaves and tuber rot. Spreads rapidly in cool, humid conditions. Can destroy an entire crop within days if uncontrolled.
Fungal disease causing dark concentric-ring lesions on lower leaves, progressing upward. Reduces photosynthetic area and yield. Favored by warm temperatures, high humidity, and plant stress.
Bacterial disease causing rough, corky lesions on tuber skin. Reduces marketability but not yield. Favored by dry soil conditions and alkaline pH.
pest
Most destructive insect pest of potatoes. Both larvae and adults defoliate plants, potentially causing complete crop loss. Develops insecticide resistance rapidly.
Sap-feeding insects that transmit potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) and potato virus Y (PVY). Even low populations can spread devastating viral diseases throughout seed lots.
Soil-dwelling larvae bore into tubers causing shallow to deep tunnels, reducing marketable yield. Populations build up in sod or pasture ground and persist for multiple years.
weather
Potato foliage is killed by temperatures below 28°F (-2°C). Late spring frosts damage emerging plants, and early fall frosts shorten the growing season and reduce tuber bulking time.
market
Potato prices fluctuate significantly based on regional and national supply. Oversupply years can drive prices below production costs. Storage potatoes face additional market timing risk.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Potatoes against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA resources, and regional research.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie
57 tracked changes across 10 data categories