Concepts and definitions

Area planted

Planted area refers to potato area planted in the spring of the reference year.

The preliminary potato area estimate for the current year is released in mid-July. It is based upon data from sample surveys or consultation with provincial vegetable or potato specialists.

Quebec, Ontario and Alberta—The preliminary area estimate is provided by consultation with provincial potato specialists and departments of agriculture.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia—Estimates are produced using the Potato Area and Yield Survey (Survey 3446). This survey is a two phase telephone probability survey. Calls are made in June for area and again in October for area harvested and production.

Revisions may be made to July’s area estimate the following November. The sources for these revised estimates are as follows:

Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick—The previous year’s area may be revised as a result of disposition data indicating a significantly different production. Area planted estimates for the current year may be revised in relation to the previous year’s adjusted area. The Potato Area and Yield Survey also confirms planted area when calls are made for the yield in the fall.

Quebec, Ontario and Alberta—Area planted is collected through each province’s own survey program.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia—The Potato Area and Yield Survey supplies information on the area planted. Seed inspection data supplements these area estimates as well.

Area harvested

This series was incorporated in 1985 for all provinces except Quebec and Ontario, where the series became available beginning in 1993. It is calculated by subtracting unharvested area from area planted. Revisions to area planted will automatically result in revisions to area harvested if area lost remains constant. It indicates the area not harvested because of poor harvest conditions, crop failure or disease. For years prior to 1985 and for Quebec and Ontario prior to 1993, unharvested area was accounted for in the total production with production for that area placed at zero.

Area harvested is released in November of the current year. Revisions can be made to the previous year's area harvested at the same time.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia—Crop Insurance data in combination with the Potato Area and Yield Survey determines the area lost.

Quebec, Ontario and Alberta—Area lost is collected through each province's own survey program.

Yield

Yield is a measure of production from the harvested area based on the volume produced, including cull potatoes, but excluding product left in the field.

Both current and revised yields are released in the November issue of the Canadian Potato Production Bulletin.

Sources of data for each province are:

Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia—Estimates are based on responses to the Potato Area and Yield Survey. Calls are made in late October and early November of the current year.

Quebec, Ontario and Alberta—Yield is collected through each province's own survey program.

Yields may be revised the following January. Later survey results from the provincial ministries or administrative data might indicate a revision is necessary. Only unusual circumstances would indicate another revision to this production the following July.

Total production

Total production, the product of area harvested by the average yield, is the volume of potatoes harvested out of the field, including culls, but excluding gleanings.

The production estimate is released in November of the current year. Any revisions to production resulting from new information or supply disposition data can be made the following January or one year later in the following November. (See concepts for yield).

Amount sold, consumed, seeded or fed to livestock

This series was established in 1982. From 1986, the series includes the amount fed to livestock. It measures the volume of potatoes sold, consumed on farm, seed for own use, plus potatoes fed to livestock. If potatoes were destroyed and producers received funds as part of a diversion program, these potatoes would be considered sold and included in the amount utilized. Starting with the 1999 crop, all potatoes that are being shipped to French fry processors are being included in the volume sold, consumed, seeded or fed to livestock. No cullage is being deducted from these marketings. These numbers are released each November for the previous crop year.

Newfoundland and Labrador—The amount is set at 90% of the harvested production.

Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick—The Canadian Food Inspection Agencies inspection staff provides a monthly estimate of cullage and marketings.

Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia—The amount is based on consultation with provincial specialists and marketing agencies.

Quebec—The amount is collected through their province's survey program

Average price

The average price for potatoes is based on the transaction price received by the producer. If a portion of the crop is being utilized but the producer is receiving no compensation for that portion of the crop, the price is averaged into the average price at a zero value. The price is net of all deductions made before the producer is paid. The average price is released each November for the previous year's crop.

Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia—Annual prices are established in consultation with provincial specialists and as a result of the Fall Survey of Fruit and Vegetables.

Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia—Statistics Canada conducts a monthly survey of potato prices received by producers (Survey 3436). These prices are then multiplied by the monthly disposition of each of the grades of these potatoes to create an annual weighted price.

Quebec—The average price is collected through the provincial survey program and the Farm Product Prices Survey (Survey 3436).

Farm value

Farm value is the product of the amount sold, consumed, seeded or fed to livestock by the average farm price. (See concepts section on amount sold, consumed, seed or fed to livestock and prices). The farm value is released each November for the previous year's crop.