Eastern Shore Irish Potato Acreage, Yields And Prices Years Ago
In addition to what I have already related as to the high prices received by Eastern shore farmers for their 1920 Irish potato crop -- more than $20 million -- it may be of interest to some readers to know about the acreage planted yields, prices and total value of the round potato crop prior to and during the depression years. (Yields per acre and the price for the potatoes are computed on the basis of 100 pounds, not barrels. In the 1920s -- and perhaps later -- Eastern shore potatoes were marketed only in standard barrels, the capacity of each of which, according to my recollection, was about three bushels or 180 lbs. net.)
| Year | Acreage harvested | Yield (cwt.) per acre | prices per cwt. | Value Dollars |
| 1921 | 65,000 | 72 | $1.68 | $7,878,000 |
| 1922 | 64,000 | 75 | 1.82 | 8,720,000 |
| 1923 | 61,000 | 68 | 2.63 | 10,890,000 |
| 1924 | 67,000 | 105 | 1.25 | 8,794,000 |
| 1925 | 61,000 | 71 | 2.65 | 11,542,000 |
| 1926 | 58,000 | 71 | 2.17 | 8,897,000 |
| 1927 | 57,000 | 114 | 2.05 | 13,321,000 |
| 1928 | 67,000 | 114 | .72 | 5,474,000 |
| 1929 | 55,500 | 113 | 1.97 | 12,312,000 |
| 1930 | 65,500 | 91 | 1.57 | 9,502,000 |
| 1931 | 61,700 | 86 | .92 | 4,867,000 |
| 1932 | 47,000 | 77 | .97 | 3,489,000 |
| 1933 | 42,400 | 68 | 2.08 | 5,989,000 |
| 1934 | 51,000 | 97 | .73 | 3,613,000 |
| 1935 | 40,700 | 95 | .67 | 2,588,000 |
| 1936 | 34,900 | 77 | 2.25 | 6,030,000 |
| 1937 | 42,400 | 90 | .92 | 3,498,000 |
| 1938 | 34,000 | 104 | .92 | 3,285,000 |
| 1939 | 34,500 | 79 | 1.37 | 3,706,000 |
| 1940 | 31,100 | 99 | 1.02 | 3,231,000 |
According to the statistics kindly furnished me by the Virginia Crop Reporting Service -- from 1919 to 1959, both inclusive -- the year 1941 was the last year in which the acreage in Irish potatoes in Accomack and Northampton exceeded 30,000 -- (31,500) -- and the average yield per acre -- 59 -- the lowest in that in 43 years. From 1942 to 1950 the Eastern Shore Irish potato acreage averaged about 27,000, though in 1949 it was 22,500. The lowest shown was in 1954 with only 17,600 acres.
Yields were poor again in 1942 and 1954, and a little above the average in 1943 and 1945. It took "a big jump" in 1945 with an average of 120 cwt. (in 1967) and went to 150 cwt. in 1946. Other years in which the average yields were especially good were 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1958, all above 130 cwt. except 1953 when I was 129 cwt.
The only years after 1941 in which prices were less than $1.50 per cwt. were 1950 ($.49), 1958 ($1.36) and 1959 ($1.13). They were much above $2 per cwt. in 1943 ($2.33), 1944 ($2.72), 1945 ($2.83), 1947 ($2.73), 1948 ($2.77), 1949 ($2.37). In 1959, with an acreage of 21,000, an average yield of 115 cwt. per acre, and the average price per cwt. of $3.13, the value of the crop was $7,559,000. The 1956 crop, from 19,700 acres, at an average of $4.76 per cwt. brought the growers $12,942,000. Insofar as price per cwt. is concerned, the 1952 Accomack and Northampton round potato crop exceeded the high prices of 1920. The rate per cwt. in 1920 was $4.80; in 1952 it was $4.98. As heretofore stated, the acreage harvested in 1920 totaled 60,000, and sold for $20,736,000. The acreage in 1952 was 18,200, yielded 1,911,000 pounds of spuds, valued at $9,517,000. The yield per acre in 1920 was 72 cwt; in 1952 it was 105 cwt. per acre.