Current UCUI
68/100
Moderate-High Uncertainty
+4 points from prior reading
Potato Market Intelligence
Potato Free Buy Versus Contract Volume
Potato free buy versus contract volume shows how much physical supply is bought at current market conditions versus secured in advance. MassGain adjusts nominal contracts for options, quality, timing, and delivery status so procurement can compare true usable coverage with spot-market dependence.
Market Data
How to read this market
Potato free-buy-versus-contract-volume data compares open-market purchased tonnes with physical volume secured under fixed, formula, acreage-linked, option, or other committed programs. The market object is the sourcing-channel mix by plant, region, variety, grade, crop year, and delivery period.
Use the data to distinguish signed, nominated, optional, received, impaired, and usable contract tonnes from completed free-buy volume and to assess flexibility, security, and exposure by specification.
Data Module
Potato Free Buy Versus Contract Volume
Market objectsourcing-channel volume mix
Primary measuresfree-buy and usable contract tonnes
Key dimensionsplant, region, variety, period
Commercial usecoverage and sourcing strategy
Controlsoptions, defaults, quality, timing
Compare withmarket depth and plant demand
Analysis
Why this matters
A portfolio can appear heavily contracted while one plant or late-season specification remains dependent on free buy after options, quality loss, or timing are adjusted. Aggregate channel mix can hide the true risk.
Commercial interpretation should compare usable volume by plant and specification and evaluate the balance between flexibility and replacement depth.
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 comparing potato free buy versus contract volume. MassGain aligns physical tonnes purchased through open-market transactions with tonnes secured under fixed, formula, acreage-linked, or other committed programs.
It distinguishes signed volume, nominated volume, actual receipts, optional tonnes, defaults, and quality-impaired deliveries so contract coverage is not overstated. The comparison can be segmented by plant, region, variety, grade, crop year, delivery month, and intended product. Users can see whether free-buy activity is replacing failed contracts, supplementing seasonal peaks, or becoming a structural part of the sourcing model. The suite connects each channel with price, quality, supplier concentration, delivery reliability, and available market depth.
Procurement can evaluate the balance between flexibility and security, operations can see where specifications remain exposed, and finance can model how a shift in sourcing channel changes cost volatility and working capital. MassGain does not judge one channel as universally superior. It provides a transparent physical-volume framework for understanding how much potato supply is secured in advance, how much is purchased at current market conditions, and whether the mix remains resilient under disruption.
Use Case
A multi-plant processor appears 92% contracted, but MassGain removes unexercised options and quality-impaired tonnes. The revised view shows one plant relies on free buy for nearly a quarter of its late-season needs. Procurement adds a limited backup contract while preserving spot flexibility elsewhere.
FAQs
What does free buy versus contract volume compare?
It compares open-market purchased tonnes with tonnes secured through defined contractual commitments.
Why use actual usable volume?
Options, defaults, timing, quality loss, and plant compatibility can make nominal contract tonnes misleading.
How does MassGain segment the comparison?
It can separate plant, region, variety, grade, delivery window, crop year, and sourcing program.
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.