The first shipments of fresh potatoes from the United States have arrived in Mexico, said a May 12 news release from the National Potato Council (NPC). This signals the start of Mexico’s process to restore full market access.
“This is an important moment for the U.S. potato industry and our partners in the federal government who have fought for decades to restore access to this vital market, but we know the work is not over if we are to keep the border open,” said Jared Balcom, NPC president and a Washington state potato grower.
The shipments come following the Mexican Supreme Court making an unanimous vote to overturn a previous court decision which banned Mexico from importing fresh potatoes from the U.S. last year.
The release notes Mexico is the largest export market for U.S. potatoes and products valued at US$394 million in 2021. Despite the previous restriction to the 26-kilometer border region, Mexico was the second-largest market for fresh potato exports in 2021, accounting for 124,449 metric tons valued at US$60 million last year. The U.S. potato industry estimates that access to the entire country for fresh U.S. potatoes will provide a market potential of US$250 million per year, in five years.
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