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Potato Farmers Around the State Expecting Smaller than Normal Harvest


Maine potato farmers who dealt with too much rain last summer are dealing with too little this year, leading to predictions of a smaller-than-normal harvest.

Meteorologist Rich Norton of the National Weather Service's Caribou office says June was wetter than normal and rainfall for the year is actually running ahead of average. But the timing has been bad for farmers, with only 1.73 inches of rain in July and little more in August.

The Maine Sunday Telegram, says farmers expect a smaller yield, smaller potatoes and a loss of bonuses paid for larger potatoes for french fries.

Bruce Flewelling of Flewelling Farms in Easton says he lost about 200 of his 900 acres of potatoes. He says they "burned up, dried up" because of the lack of rain.

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