Potato harvest looking up

COLUMBIA BASIN — The state of the taters is, well, pretty darn good this year. “The potato harvest is definitely a lighter crop than what we’re historically used to,” said Dale Lathim, executive director of Potato Growers of Washington. “It’s actually a little bit better than last year in terms of yield. But it’s a lot better than last year in terms of quality.” One reason for this, Lathim said, was the unusual weather in the Northwest earlier in the year. The unusually cool spring delayed the crop’s maturation, he explained.”