Overseas variety trials a tool for U.S. seed potato promotion

Farm and Ranch Report March 9, 2011 The U.S. Potato Board’s program for promoting U.S. seed potato exports includes conducting variety trials overseas. The board’s Sarah Mahler says the variety trials have been an effective tool.

Mahler: “By conducting trials we are showing both the availability and the viability of U.S. seed potatoes in tropical growing conditions. We conduct variety trials in all of our target markets for seed potatoes each year. The trial data that we are collecting is not only used to show foreign importers and growers the high quality of U.S. seed potatoes but it is also used to register varieties so that they can be imported for commercial planting, which expands opportunities for U.S. seed potatoes in our international markets.”

Mahler says they try to send five to ten different varieties for the trials that are planted at several locations in the target country.

Mahler: “This year we sent U.S. seed varieties to Brazil, Nicaragua and for the first time to Egypt to be planted in trials.”

These overseas variety trials have been going on for ten years so what has been the result?

Mahler: “We have seen a lot of different varieties being registered in the international market which in turn increases our U.S. seed exports.”

The Potato Board says in the last fiscal year U.S. seed potato exports increased 13 percent and were valued at ten-million dollars.

That’s the U.S. Potato Update. Brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m Bob Hoff for Northwest Aginfo Net.