To Russia with spuds?

Washington Ag Today December 3, 2010 Drought not only made for a poor grain crop in Russia this year but it also impacted the nation’s potato production.

Matt Harris, Director of Trade for the Washington State Potato Commission, says Russia may need to import four million metric tons of potatoes.

Harris: “Not specifically from the United States but from the world. So they are buying potatoes from Europe, from China, from the Middle East and they are also looking at the United States. And when we were at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit even in Orlando this year there was quite a contingency of Russian buyers. From that contingency we met with very strong prospects to buy U.S. potatoes. So we tried to bring those importers and our suppliers together to talk business and it was very promising but this relationship is going to take time and we will see if down the road we make any sales from those ties.”

Last year the Potato Commission attended a food show in Moscow.

Harris: “And a lot of the people we met in Moscow about a year ago, we rekindled that relationship in Orlando, which was a plus, plus for the industry to be able to have this much interest in our fresh potato exports.”

That’s Washington Ag Today brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I’m Bob Hoff on Northwest Aginfo Net.

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