U.S. Potatoes to Mexico? Pt 1

U.S. Potatoes to Mexico? Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I’m Bob Larson. Good news yesterday from the USDA when Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that an agreement had been reached to allow U.S. potatoes into the Mexican market no later than May 15th.

While that is good news, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says we can believe it when we see it …

QUARLES … “Obviously, we’d rather hear positive news than negative. We’d just, given that this is a 25-year trade dispute with a heck of a lot of twists and turns, we’re going to have to see exports actually moving before we start to feel comfortable in this.”

Quarles says we’re going to have to see a lot of movement on the part of Mexico between now and then …

QUARLES … “It may be a number of months if not years before we truly know that this market is open because our competitors have, even though some of their options may be coming more limited, their interest in keeping us out of their market, I don’t think that’s declined at all.”

But the announcement from Vilsack and Mexican Ag Secretary

Victor Villalobos, Quarles says was good news …

QUARLES … “Clearly, Secretary Vilsack has been very, very committed to getting this potato issue solved. This is one that is, he’s been dealing with for both administrations that he’s been Secretary of Agriculture in. I think he’s personally very committed to that.”

Tune in tomorrow for more on the “agreement” … in quotes … that could be good news for the U.S. potato industry.

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