Bringing U.S. Seed Potatoes to Guatemala

Bringing U.S. Seed Potatoes to Guatemala

Potatoes USA recently had a market visit to Guatemala. There was a seed potato program project that introduced U.S. seed potatoes varieties to Guatemalan growers. Potatoes USA Marketing Operations Director Amy Burdett says during the visit, the U.S. varieties were compared to the local varieties for — plant vigor, disease resistance and also yields.
Burdett: “For the most part the U.S. potatoes, far outweighed the local potatoes, except in a few cases. We were very pleased at the outcome of the varieties we selected. We selected specifically for the Guatemalan climate and needs like disease resistance and resistance to late blight a problem that they have there. We also did a taste taste and had some growers dig them up and cook them and tell us what they thought. We held a field day for several growers who had not grown our potatoes to come and look and see what they looked like. To give us a happy face or sad face survey, very simple. On what they thought of them based on the look, the kind of skin set and sizes. And if they thought they might want to try them in their production areas.”
Burdett says that the feedback was positive — with most sharing a smiley face as to describe their impression of the U.S. varieties results.
With that initial success, Burdett says that Potatoes USA hopes that a second container of U.S. Seed potatoes varieties will be sent for a trial in an area with a wetter climate.

 

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