Current UCUI
68/100
Moderate-High Uncertainty
+4 points from prior reading
Potato Market Intelligence
Potato Price Index Base Year
A potato price index base year is the reference period against which index levels are expressed. Procurement and analysts can use the base metadata to compare series on a common footing and distinguish simple rebasing from changes in weights, coverage, or methodology.
Market Data
How to read this market
A potato price index base year is the reference period against which index levels are expressed. The market object should document the assigned base level, constituent basket, weights, geography, market stage, and whether later rebasing also changed methodology.
Use base-year metadata to compare indices correctly and to rebase series onto a common reference when needed. Do not interpret the base-year price level as a fair-price target, and distinguish simple arithmetic rebasing from changes in weights or product coverage.
Data Module
Potato Price Index Base Year
ObjectReference period for an index
FieldsBase period, base level, basket, weights
Commercial useIndex comparison and contract governance
ComparisonRebased historical series
MethodSimple rebasing or methodological revision
WatchpointDifferent bases make raw index levels incomparable
Analysis
Why this matters
Base years matter because index levels such as 125 or 160 are meaningless across different references without normalization. The underlying percentage movement can be identical even when displayed levels differ.
A more important issue arises when a new base also changes weights or coverage. Then the index's behavior may change, so contract and historical analysis should treat the revision as a methodological break rather than mere relabeling.
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 benchmark administrators, procurement teams, economists, finance analysts, and data engineers that need to understand the reference period behind a potato price index. The potato price index base year is the period assigned a standard index value, commonly 100, against which later and earlier price levels are compared. MassGain helps users document the base period, constituent basket, weights, geography, market stage, and any rebasing or chain-linking methodology.
A base year does not represent a permanent fair price or commercial target. It is a statistical reference whose product mix and market structure may become less representative over time. MassGain connects the base-year definition with constituent histories, classification changes, and index revisions and helps teams compare series that use different bases. Procurement can interpret contract escalators correctly, finance can align forecasts and historical reporting, and analysts can rebase indices without changing the underlying rate of price movement. The result is a clear methodological reference that prevents users from comparing index levels with different bases as if they were directly equivalent. MassGain also highlights when a new base year changes weights or coverage, which can alter the behavior of the index even though the rebasing arithmetic itself should not change historical percentage movements.
Use Case
Two suppliers present potato indices with levels of 128 and 164. MassGain shows the series use different base years and baskets; after rebasing both to a common period, procurement compares their actual percentage movement rather than the headline levels.
FAQs
What is a potato price index base year?
It is the reference period assigned a standard index level for comparing price changes.
Does rebasing change inflation?
Simple rebasing changes the displayed level, not the underlying percentage movement.
Can a new base year change index behavior?
Yes, when rebasing also updates weights, products, regions, or methodology.
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.