Driver shortage problem for American farmers – potatoes inside

Inside Potatoes

This evening at 3:00 p.m. – Janet Pennings

There is a severe shortage of truck drivers in the United States. There is a shortage of 80,000 drivers, and that number will double in the next ten years. A major problem including potato growers in the state of Maine. They have trouble getting great yields.

The American potato crop is falling across Good stock From. This is the smallest harvest since 2013, mainly due to the extreme heat in the northwest last summer. Yield is estimated at 18.7 million tonnes. A situation that could be exploited by potato farmers in the state of Maine. In stark contrast to the national trend, this year’s record yield was reached. There is only one problem: getting potatoes from the dam does not seem self-sufficient.

The size of the problem increased
According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), the United States currently faces a shortage of about 80,000 truck drivers. The driver shortage has been around for years, but the situation has been exacerbated by the Corona crisis. For example, 40% to 60% less drivers are trained and the failure rate is exceptionally high.

There are many structural issues, such as the age of the transportation sector. The minimum age for interstate transport is 21, which also affects the sector. Many young people have already chosen a different career path. ATA fears that if current trends continue, the shortage of 160,000 drivers will rise in the coming decade.

Store potatoes in air hangers
Potato growers in Maine, among others, are now experiencing the effects. Sales of their record yields are hampered by a shortage of trucks. The yield of the northeastern state of the United States this year will be 800,000 tons. This is 36.9% more than in 2020. For many farmers, their current storage capacity is not enough this year. They even had to go to the air hangars of a former military base.

The astonishing record harvest offers Maine farmers the opportunity to take advantage of strong demand in the market. American chip factories in particular are at risk of running out of raw materials as the country currently has a low potato harvest. The shares are already low Ingredients. Further Europe may benefit In this scenario, exports from the US will be lower as US demand is stronger than usual.

Higher cost for transportation
But, at present there is a problem in selling potatoes due to traffic delays and shortage of drivers. Overall, freight traffic in the United States is estimated to have fallen by 10% to 15%. Transportation by train may be somewhat of a solution to the problem, but that kite often does not apply to new products such as potatoes. Transportation costs have risen sharply due to rising fuel prices. Below, the farmers in Maine did not get much from their record yields as the numbers initially suggest.

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