Current UCUI
68/100
Moderate-High Uncertainty
+4 points from prior reading
Potato Market Intelligence
Potato Blackheart Defect Rate
Potato blackheart defect rate measures internal discoloration that can reduce usable recovery while external appearance remains normal. MassGain maps incidence and severity by storage cohort, size, variety, age, facility, and end use so processors can target allocation, discounts, and replacement coverage.
Market Data
How to read this market
Potato blackheart-defect-rate data measures the incidence and severity of internal dark discoloration in sampled tubers, linked to lot, variety, size, storage facility, age, temperature and ventilation history, and delivery period. The market object is the affected storage or delivered cohort and its expected usable yield.
Use the data to compare cohorts, identify concentration by store or size class, and estimate trimming, rejection, downgrade, or processing loss. Preserve sampling method and confidence because internal defects may not be uniformly distributed through a pile.
Data Module
Potato Blackheart Defect Rate
Market objectinternally affected potato cohort
Primary measuresincidence and severity
Key dimensionslot, variety, size, storage, age
Commercial useyield and inventory valuation
Risk contextventilation and storage history
Compare withcontract tolerance and replacement supply
Analysis
Why this matters
Blackheart can reduce commercial value while external appearance and gross inventory remain normal. Risk may cluster in large tubers or one storage zone, so a broad supplier average can hide the true exposure.
Commercial interpretation should map defects to end use and timing. A cohort that is marginal for visible cut products may still serve a less sensitive process, making allocation and early movement more valuable than blanket rejection.
Signal 01
Usable Crop Uncertainty Index
UCUI translates crop and market complexity into a simple uncertainty signal. Higher readings indicate greater uncertainty—not necessarily higher prices.
Understand uncertainty. Anticipate risk. Act earlier.
UCUI is designed to analyze potato-industry publications and data signals across regions, varieties, weather, disease, storage, supply, and demand.
WeatherHigh
DiseaseHigh
StorageMedium
SupplyMedium
Single-day snapshot based on a scan of 11,500+ web and social signals. Get historical and real-time data by clicking the button below.
The MassGain Daily
Today’s market analysis.
A daily editorial synthesis of physical potato data, crop signals, market reporting, and what participants should watch next.
September 16, 2026Latest MassGain publication
Potato market steady for now; Russia’s smaller crop is the salient risk
Spot prices are flat and USDA terminal reports read ‘market steady,’ but a renewed forecast for a smaller Russian harvest and recent regional harvest stress leave seasonal import timing and storage losses as the key uncertainty.
Signal 02
MassGain Potato Index
Independent physical-pricing intelligence and market-trend analysis for procurement, forecasting, contracting, and scenario planning.
Core Russet Carton Median
312.45 USD/MT
Latest qualifying physical-market observation
+4.75 (+1.55%)
Price discovery for the physical potato market
MPI is designed to track physical pricing data, price trends, deltas, and divergences across regions and potato types.
Series window45 days
Current public coverageCore russet cartons
Primary source basisQualifying USDA physical rows
UnitUSD per metric tonne
Single-day snapshot based on most recent 45 days worth of data. Limited to US Russets only. Get more complete, global data about all varieties by clicking the button below.
Signal 03
MassGain Spot Reference
An independent spot reference designed for price discovery, contract discussions, procurement comparisons, and risk modeling.
Russet Burbank — U.S. Midsize
305 USD/MT
Demonstration reference format
+1.6% WoW · Confidence: High
A trusted benchmark for pricing, contracts, and risk
MSR is intended to use real transactions and verifiable physical-market data to support negotiations, price checks, contracting, and risk models.
ProductRusset Burbank
SpecificationU.S. midsize, 40–70 count
Reference typePhysical spot benchmark
StatusIn development
Based on most recent 45 days worth of data. Limited to US Russets only. Get more complete, global data about all varities by clicking the button below. Full access also includes historical data -- including depreciated NYMEX/CBOE/EEX spot references -- projections, trends, and AI-driven insights.
The MassGain Product Ladder
From insight to intelligence to action
Four integrated products built for the physical potato market, delivered through public pages, reports, exports, dashboards, and API access.
1
Content
Original research, commentary, aggregated news, and market updates.
- What matters right now?
- What is happening out there?
2
UCUI™
Usable Crop Uncertainty Index: an AI-powered signal of crop risk and market uncertainty.
- Understand uncertainty
- Anticipate risk
- Act earlier
3
MPI™
MassGain Potato Index: independent physical-pricing intelligence and trend analysis.
- Price discovery
- Regional trends
- Procurement planning
4
MSR™
MassGain Spot Reference: an independent benchmark for price discovery and risk modeling.
- Contracts
- Negotiations
- Risk models
Content + UCUI + MPI + MSR + API access
Get historical series, regional detail, constituent data, exports, alerts, and direct data access.
Overview
Who is this for?
This page is for procurement and market-intelligence teams benchmarking potato blackheart defect rate. MassGain organizes inspection results by supplier, lot, variety, region, storage facility, storage age, temperature history, size, delivery week, and sampling method.
It connects internal discoloration incidence with ventilation, oxygen stress, pile conditions, handling, and seasonal storage risk, while preserving the difference between observed sample rate and expected lot exposure. Buyers can compare defect rates with contract tolerances, estimate usable recovery, and determine whether a supplier premium remains justified. Operations can target cutting or inspection, finance can quantify deductions and finished-product loss, and procurement can identify whether risk is isolated or systemic.
The suite also shows how sparse sampling can create uncertainty and supports confidence ranges rather than false precision. MassGain does not diagnose storage causes or replace inspection. It provides a transparent quality and pricing framework for understanding how blackheart affects marketable value.
Use Case
A fry plant sees internal discoloration rise late in storage. MassGain maps the defects to two large-size cohorts from one facility and estimates expected recovery loss. Procurement accelerates those lots into less-sensitive production and preserves stronger inventory for premium contracts.
FAQs
What is blackheart?
It is internal dark discoloration associated with low-oxygen or stressful storage conditions.
Why analyze defect rate by cohort?
Risk may be concentrated by store, size, age, or handling history rather than across an entire supplier.
How does MassGain value the defect?
It connects incidence with usable yield, downgrade, rejection, contract deductions, and remaining supply.
Put this market intelligence to work
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and market-analysis needs.
Data and Methodology
Professional market-data standards
MassGain is building transparent public market infrastructure. Each live metric will identify its date, unit, coverage, methodology, and source basis.
Data provenance
MassGain uses public, licensed, contributed, and independently derived physical-market information. Source availability and publication schedules vary.
Timing and revisions
Figures may reflect the latest available observation rather than a same-day transaction. Source data and MassGain calculations may be corrected, restated, or revised.
Not transactional pricing
MassGain figures are informational reference values and do not constitute executable bids, offers, settlements, or guarantees that a transaction can occur at the displayed value.
No individualized advice
Content and data are provided for informational and analytical purposes and do not constitute financial, investment, legal, trading, or individualized procurement advice.
Independent publication
Certain observations may be derived from USDA reports. MassGain is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USDA.
Commercial use and licensing
Public display does not grant rights to reproduce, redistribute, republish, or incorporate MassGain indices or references into commercial products or contracts without authorization.