Current UCUI
68/100
Moderate-High Uncertainty
+4 points from prior reading
Potato Market Intelligence
Potato Cold Storage Rates
Potato cold storage rates measure the operating price charged to hold potatoes in refrigerated or controlled storage. Combining rate basis with location, energy, capacity, duration, handling, shrink, quality, freight, and expected market timing helps users compare total cost per usable tonne.
Market Data
How to read this market
Potato cold storage rates measure the operating price charged to hold potatoes in refrigerated or controlled storage. Rates vary with facility location, energy, capacity, duration, temperature and humidity requirements, handling, crop condition, and seasonal demand for space.
Use the data with regional potato prices, storage availability, quality risk, freight, and expected market timing. The economically best option is the facility that minimizes total cost per usable tonne, not necessarily the one with the lowest nominal storage charge.
Data Module
Cold storage rate context
Rate basisweight, pallet, month, or season
Facility capabilitytemperature and humidity control
Locationorigin, customer, and freight relationship
Capacityseasonal storage tightness
Quality impactshrink and condition preservation
Decision usestore-versus-sell and facility comparison
Analysis
Why this matters
Storage-rate inflation can be justified when energy or capacity tightens, but it can also be offset by stronger quality preservation or better location. The relevant question is what the facility adds to delivered usable value.
A low rate can be a false economy if the potatoes lose more weight, quality, or shelf life. Conversely, a premium store may be rational during a valuable late-season market when replacement supply is tight.
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 10, 2026Latest MassGain publication
Potato prices quiet at $30/cwt as regional harvest damage buzzes beneath the surface
Market indicators are stable, but reporting from Europe and select growing areas shows real, localized crop stress — a reminder that steady headline prices can mask uneven physical risk.
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 potato distributors, wholesalers, storage operators, and procurement teams that need to evaluate refrigerated storage pricing across regions and contract periods. Potato cold storage rates are shaped by facility location, temperature and humidity requirements, energy costs, seasonality, storage duration, handling services, available capacity, and the condition of the crop entering storage. MassGain helps users place quoted warehouse rates beside regional potato prices, crop size, storage availability, inventory age, and expected market timing.
That context matters because the cheapest storage rate is not always the lowest-cost decision. A distant facility may add freight and handling, while a low-cost building with weak environmental control can increase shrink, pressure bruise, sprouting, or quality loss. Conversely, paying a premium for well-located capacity can protect marketable value during a tight late-season window. MassGain supports contract reviews, storage-versus-sale decisions, landed-cost models, and regional sourcing plans by separating the facility charge from the economic value of preserving usable potatoes. The result is a more complete comparison of storage options based on cost, location, quality risk, and the market opportunity the inventory is intended to serve.
Use Case
A wholesaler must choose between a nearby refrigerated warehouse at a premium rate and a cheaper facility 220 miles away. MassGain shows rising late-season prices in the local market but tightening reefer capacity on the longer route. After adding transfer freight, expected shrink, handling, and likely selling value, the team places high-grade russets nearby and sends slower-moving inventory to the lower-cost facility.
FAQs
What affects potato cold storage rates?
Location, energy, capacity, temperature control, storage duration, handling, seasonality, and service requirements all influence the rate.
Should the lowest warehouse rate always win?
No. Freight, handling, shrink, quality preservation, and access to the intended market can outweigh the base storage charge.
How does MassGain support storage-rate comparisons?
It connects facility costs with regional prices, crop timing, available capacity, inventory quality, and expected commercial value.
Put this market intelligence to work
Get historical data, regional detail, benchmarks, alerts, exports, and API access tailored to your procurement
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.