While most of the country is experiencing cold wintry weather, members of the Florida Potato Growers Association are busy growing and shipping fresh red, white yellow and specialty new crop potatoes from many locations in the Sunshine State.
Florida potatoes are harvested fresh and shipped without going through the storage process that most potatoes experience. This means no gassing or chemicals that storage potatoes are subjected to keep them from sprouting or developing diseases while they are in cold storage warehouses waiting to be shipped. Florida new crop potatoes are fresher, better tasting potatoes for your meals and recipes. Our sandy soils and mild climate are ideal for producing high quality and superior appearing potatoes.
Our Growers
Florida potato growers produce in many locations on the peninsula from the outskirts of the Everglades to the coastal regions in the south, near Lake Okeechobee, and south of Orlando in the central part of the state, to the St. Augustine area in the northern part of the state. Each growing area has unique soil properties and growing periods, and each produces high quality potatoes for the fresh market.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first Florida potatoes are planted beginning in early October in South Florida and will continue to be planted until Late February or early March in North Florida. Potatoes generally have a 90 day growing cycle which means the harvest period is from late January through June.
Florida growers have several thousand acres of potatoes.
“New Crop” means freshly harvested potatoes from the fields sent directly to you the consumer, as opposed to “storage potatoes” which are taken from the fields to large refrigerated warehouses or cellars. Storage potatoes are cured and stored up to one year before being shipped to your grocer or restaurant supplier.
Many people think new potatoes are the small (usually red skin) potatoes but new potatoes are those that are shipped fresh from the field, bypassing the curing and storage process.
Potatoes grow underground and must be dug. They are dug by a mechanical harvester.
New Potatoes are freshly harvested potatoes of any variety. Their skin is tender and they do not need to be peeled. Try them boiled, steamed or roasted.
