Current UCUI
68/100
Moderate-High Uncertainty
+4 points from prior reading
Potato Market Intelligence
Potato Specific Gravity Prices
Potato specific gravity prices compare values for potatoes with different solids-related gravity levels within matched processing markets. MassGain connects premiums with variety, region, crop period, storage, defects, plant recovery, energy use, oil uptake, and finished yield so high-solids value is measured by the economic benefit it creates.
Market Data
How to read this market
Potato specific-gravity prices compare market values for potatoes with different specific-gravity levels, a practical indicator associated with dry matter and processing solids. The object should preserve variety, region, crop period, storage condition, defects, gravity test method, contract or spot basis, and intended processing use.
Use gravity-level prices with plant recovery, energy use, oil uptake, product yield, and regional availability. Convert any premium into cost per finished unit so high-solids potatoes are valued according to the economic benefit they create in fries, chips, flakes, starch, or other products.
Data Module
Potato Specific-Gravity Price Monitor
Gravitymeasured specific-gravity band
Varietymatched processing genetics
Regioncrop and sourcing basin
Qualitydefects and storage condition
Contextplant recovery and energy use
Decision usesolids-adjusted sourcing value
Analysis
Why this matters
Specific-gravity premiums can widen when high-solids supply is scarce even if average potato prices are unchanged. Yet the same gravity increment may create different value in a starch plant and a fresh packer. The premium should therefore be compared with product-specific recovery, not treated as a universal quality schedule.
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 processors, growers, procurement teams, quality managers, and plant finance users that need to understand prices for potatoes with different specific-gravity levels. Specific gravity is a practical proxy for solids and processing potential, so price comparisons should account for variety, region, crop period, storage condition, defects, delivery basis, and the expected value created inside the plant.
MassGain helps users compare specific-gravity price premiums or discounts against regional supply and actual processing economics. A higher-gravity lot may cost more per tonne but produce stronger recovery, lower water removal, less oil uptake, or more saleable fries, chips, flakes, or starch. A lower-priced lot may remain economical for products that are less solids-sensitive. The platform connects market quotes with crop quality, variety availability, laboratory readings, historical spreads, freight, and plant yield. Procurement can test supplier premiums, operations can allocate lots to the right products, and finance can calculate cost per finished unit rather than cost per delivered weight. The result is a quality-adjusted price view that reveals when a gravity premium is supported by scarce supply and measurable conversion value—and when it exceeds the economic benefit delivered.
Use Case
A potato-flake processor compares a premium high-gravity lot with cheaper average-gravity potatoes. MassGain confirms the regional premium is unusually narrow, while factory history shows materially better recovery and lower drying energy. Procurement secures the premium lot for the most solids-sensitive production and uses standard supply elsewhere.
FAQs
Why do potato prices vary by specific gravity?
Higher gravity often indicates more solids and can improve processing yield, energy use, texture, or oil performance.
Is a higher-gravity potato always worth a premium?
No. The value depends on the product, recovery, defects, freight, storage condition, and plant capability.
How does MassGain compare specific-gravity prices?
It combines matched market prices with laboratory readings, variety, regional supply, history, and finished-product economics.
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.