More foreign fry buyers take Potatoes 101

Washington Ag Today May 13, 2011 The Washington potato industry has been busy this month hosting foreign buyers of the state’s French fries. Matt Harris, Director of Trade for the Washington State Potato Commission, says two reverse trade missions have visited Washington.

Harris: “There focus was to bring in buyers of French fries, frozen processed potato products, into Washington state and demonstrate in a potato 101 class the systems that are in place for growing potatoes in our sustainable agriculture and then delivering those potatoes to process to be turned into French fries and logistics and storage. We hosted about 20 guests from Mexico, Paracel, Panama, Honduras and Puerto Rico.

Harris says these missions also establish relationships.

Harris: “It really helps to strengthen our relationships, ties to our consumers aboard. It kind of broadens the scope. It is not just a French fry on the plate. They see the technology. They see the care that we take in producing that potato and how it is cut into a French fry. So, it is an overall great program that we have.”

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.