U.S.-Mexico Potato Update Pt 1
I’m Bob Larson. Good news for the U.S. potato industry after a plan is signed to move forward with allowing American producers to export fresh potatoes to ALL of Mexico.
National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says this comes just months after the Mexican Supreme Court ruled in favor of U.S. potatoes beyond the first 16 miles of the border …
QUARLES … “Given the moves that the Mexican government has made recently to suppress the requirement sheet, to sign the operational work plan, and to kind of get down to the final details. We’re hopeful that that process is going to move forward kind of regardless of what happens in the courts.”
Quarles says it should be a smooth transition …
QUARLES … “It is very, very similar to what exporters were facing previously. There really has not been, there’s been a few kind of minor tweaks, but I think people are going to be very familiar with the process.”
As to when potatoes will begin to move south, Quarles says …
QUARLES … “Long story short, I mean we’re very hopeful that we’re going to be measuring this in a very few months to hopefully weeks before we can start looking at the resumption of some exports, so I think cautiously optimistic at this point.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on U.S. potato exports to the entire Mexican population … and what it means for producers.
