U.S.-Mexico Potato Update Pt 2
I’m Bob Larson. U.S. potatoes exports to Mexico should start to increase soon after their government published the new list of requirements for the import protocol for fresh potatoes.National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says now, we just need to make sure EVERYONE on the U.S. side is brought up to speed …
QUARLES … “If we have a case of where anyone, you know, inadvertently doesn’t know what the rules are and we have an issue, we’re probably going to get, you know, given the kind of scrutiny that this whole dispute has been under, we’re going to get pounded for it. So, we want to make sure there’s no unforced errors.”
This should, Quarles says mean big things for producers …
QUARLES … “Once we have access to the whole country, and it will take some time to fully build up the market, but we’re very hopeful that this is going to mean about $150,000 million in additional fresh potato exports.”
Quarles says they also hope to expand the market for potatoes in Mexico …
QUARLES … “And that will be to the benefit, both of the U.S., but also to the domestic industry. If we can work in parallel with them to encourage more restaurants and folks in their homes to use potatoes in new and creative ways, that rising tide is going to lift all boats and we’re very optimistic about what that could mean for the long term.”
Quarles says they’re cautiously optimistic and appreciate all the work by the USDA and US Trade Representative to make this possible.