U.S. Potato Trade Mission to Vietnam

U.S. Potato Trade Mission to Vietnam

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the U.S. Potato Update.

The United States Potato Board recently went on a Trade Mission to Vietnam to visit two of the country’s three major snack manufacturers. Four U.S. potato growers also participated.

International Marketing Manager for the USPB Sarah Mahler explains in addition to giving the manufacturers technical information to help maintain the quality of the U.S. chipping potatoes that the companies are purchasing, an another objective of the trip was building relationships.

Mahler: “What we are really hoping to see from this visit is that the manufacturers will continue to purchase U.S. chipping potatoes next year and in the years to come.”

Although potato chips are not a traditional Vietnam food, Mahler explains why snack manufacturers are interested in importing more U.S. chipping potatoes.

Mahler: “The Vietnam population is a young population so snacking is very popular among the younger generation in Vietnam. So snacking is becoming more and more popular and a bigger thing. Snack manufacturers are now beginning to expand their plants and to add new plants within the country.”

During the trip the group also visited two potato farms and a wholesale market. Seeing the growing area gave the US delegation a better idea of what type of potatoes are being grown locally and production methods. 
 
This was the U.S. Potato Update brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m KayDee Gilkey on the Northwest Ag Information Network.