POTATO PRODUCTION COSTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 



By M. F. Abell 



The state-wide survey conducted by the Experiment Station 

 in 1925 disclosed that 57 per cent, of the potatoes handled by 

 hotels, stores and camps were procured from outside of New Hamp- 

 shire. <i> This situation pointed to the need for a study of the costs 

 and methods of potato production on New Hampshire farms. 



The area in potatoes in the state has rapidly declined since 

 1909, although total production has been nearly maintained. The 

 area and production of potatoes and the December first farm price 

 for New Hampshire, and the December first farm price for the 

 United States for 30 years are shown in Table I. From a high point 

 in area in 1909 the decline has been regular and consistent except 

 for the three war years, 1917, 1918 and 1919. In only one year, 

 however, 1910, has the average farm price in New Hampshire been 

 less than in the United States as a whole, and this was a year of 

 high production, the highest ever had in New Hampshire, and the 

 fourth highest for the northeast. 



On the other hand, in New England as a whole, approximately 

 50 per cent, has been added to the total production in the last 25 

 vears and 10 per cent, to the area devoted to potatoes. In 1904 

 New England had 207,000 acres and a production of 33,424,000 

 bushels. In 1928 a total of 239,000 acres produced 45,662,000 

 bushels. In northeastern United States (New England plus New 

 York and Pennsylvania) 900,000 acres in 1904 produced 102 mil- 

 lion bushels, while 769,000 acres in 1928 produced 101 million 

 bushels. 



The reduction in area in New Hampshire is an attempt at 

 readjustment resulting from a variety of causes. The area in farms 

 has decreased reducing the tillable area. The larger area in potatoes 

 in other regions has partly taken care of the greater demands of 

 increased population. Better methods have so improved yields that 

 the smaller area in New Hampshire has produced nearly as large 

 a total yield. Lower prices following the war removed much of the 

 incentive to produce a crop involving so much labor and risk. The 

 competition with machine raised potatoes of nearby regions has 

 meant greater marketing difficulties with poorer graded potatoes 

 in less than carlots from smaller growers. 



The smaller area in New Hampshire, even with the total yield 

 remaining practically the same, has not, however, kept pace with 

 population, and the yield per 1,000 of population has been approxi- 

 mately cut in half. Table II shows how this situation varies among 

 the ten counties. 



While formerly a surplus state. New Hampshire as a whole is 

 now a deficit area, and imports large quantities of potatoes from 

 Maine. In 1923 a total of 412 carloads was shipped into New 

 Hampshire. There has since been only a slight change. For the 



