09/12/08 Large reverse trade mission to visit Washington potato industry

Farm and Ranch September 12, 2008 It will be one of the largest reverse trade mission's Washington State Potato Commission Director of Trade Matt Harris says he's ever been witness to. Harris says the Commission and the US Potato Board are working to bring nearly 38 buyers and distributors of processed potatoes from around the world to Washington and the Pacific Northwest next month. Harris: "And those folks come in from Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, The Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica just to name a few." Harris says when the trade mission arrives they will get at 101 potato review. Harris: "And walk them through production and also look at processing. So the plan is to go out to the field, to go tour harvesting. Watch them store potatoes and then take them on a couple of plant tours." By the way Harris says this is called a reverse trade mission because the northwest potato commissions visited some of these buyers in Central America. He says it will be interesting to discuss with them what has taken place since they last visited. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.