USDA Says Mexico Ready to Fully Open Market to US Fresh Potatoes
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and his Mexican counterpart said they have a plan to finalize "expanded access to the entire Mexican market no later than May 15 for all U.S. table stock and chipping potatoes according to the agreed workplan."
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Currently, U.S. potatoes can only be sold within 26 km of the border in Mexico, and even with that limitation, the National Potato Council said Mexico is the second largest market for fresh potato exports, with $60 million of sales last year. The USDA said April 5 that the two leaders also talked about "enhancing plant and animal health cooperation to meet emerging threats and to promote food security."
The National Potato Council took a wait-and-see attitude about the announcement, which said the last step in the plan is for Mexican officials to visit a U.S. site in April. The trade group said, "Given the history of this 25-year trade dispute, we are waiting to declare victory until we see durable exports of both fresh processing and table stock potatoes throughout all of Mexico as required by the November 2021 signed agreement. We hope the April site visit by Mexican officials will be the last hurdle we need to clear and that no last-minute roadblocks will be erected prior to Mexico finally – and permanently – reopening its border to U.S.-grown potatoes." The council estimates that full access to Mexican customers could lead to $250 million in annual sales five years from now.