Potatoes in Phase-One Pt 2

Potatoes in Phase-One Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I’m Bob Larson. The U.S. potato industry appears pretty pleased with the contents of the Phase-One trade deal with China. The agreement includes language related to fresh market access for U.S. potatoes in China.

Matt Lantz, Vice President of Global Access for Bryant Christie, says the overall deal is very exciting, but it’s been a long time in the making …

LANTZ … “After 20-years, it’s really nice to see it in writing and there’s been a lot of work that’s gone into putting a market access agreement together. It’s going to be for Pacific Northwest shipping potatoes to China, but there are two or three really important issues that need to be resolved. We don’t want to sign an agreement and our shippers can’t send the product, can’t meet the rules, so there’s still another round of negotiations that has to occur before we can sign the agreement. So, we’re pleased by this, but we’re not celebrating. At least that’s what I would say.”

Without getting into too much detail, Lantz says those issues include a pest they’d like to see adjusted and an inspection point they’d like to see removed.

Quarles says there are a lot of people to thank …

QUARLES … “A tremendous amount of credit is due to Matt Lantz, the team of Bryant Christie, and John Toaspern and the team at Potatoes USA. Often these issues, you work them day in and day out, week after week after week, and eventually the stars align and you get an opportunity to move something forward. So, this is pretty good news.”

Listen tomorrow for more on the potato industry’s excitement about the Phase-One of the trade deal with China.

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