POCATELLO -- A bumper crop of potatoes led to rock-bottom prices last fall, leading Idaho farmers to plant fewer acres of spuds this spring.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Idaho growers planted an estimated 295,000 acres this year, an 8 percent decrease from 2009 and the fewest acres planted since 1980.
The United Potato Growers of Idaho say 292,571 acres were planted, the lowest number of acres since 1965.
Idaho produces about 13 billion pounds of potatoes annually, about one-third of the nation's fall spud crop. The Idaho State Journal reports that potato yields in Idaho last year were 411 hundredweight per acre, breaking the previous record of 386 cwt.
American Falls potato grower Jim Tiede says there will be plenty of potatoes grown this year, there just won't be a glut.
