News on Potato Trade

As part of bilateral effort to ease trade barriers, Mexican potatoes will gain access to the US market under a new US Department of Agriculture proposal.

Victorian potato growers will face fewer quarantine restrictions when selling their potatoes interstate.

The European Union has granted Lebanon the right to export 50,000 tons of potatoes, reversing a decadelong export prohibition, the Lebanese Agriculture Ministry said Monday.

Total US potato and product exports for FY13 (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013) increased 4 percent in value to $1,639,911,793 and also rose 4 percent in volume to 1,561,896 metric tons (MT)--both record levels.

Vietnamese and GB authorities have approved an importation protocol for the import of British seed potatoes into Vietnam.

Imports of potatoes to Romania, fresh or refrigerated, grew by 2.4 times in the first four months of this year, compared to the same period of 2012, totaling 84,841.7 tons.

The horticulture industry of Zimbabwe is calling for higher import tariffs on imported horticulture products to avert the collapse of the local industry.

Officials from Oregon and Washington are working on an upcoming joint trade mission to expand export opportunities for Northwest potatoes.

Sri Lanka has increased the tax on imported potatoes from Rs 15 to Rs 25 per kilo (from USD 0.11 to USD 0.19) to protect the interests of local potato farmers.

After many years of frustrating work to gain access to Brazil for U.S. seed potatoes as well as corresponding market development, U.S. seed potato growers are finally making sales.

South Africa and the European Union (EU) are headed for another bruising dispute over trade access. At issue this time around are frozen potato chips (frozen french fries) from the EU.

After four years of work, the National Potato Council (NPC) and the United States Potato Board (USPB) are pleased the government of the Philippines has revised its import requirements to allow for entry of U.S. fresh table-stock potatoes.

The UK government has stepped up its efforts to control the potato disease ring rot.

At the beginning of this year Russia announced an import boycott again European seeding goods. It was orginally planned for the 1st of April, but it's now set to start on the 1st of June.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced the launch of the State National Harmonization Program (SNHP) for seed potatoes.

With high demand for potatoes in Europe driven by low supplies throughout the continent, Israeli potato growers are enjoying robust prices for their produce.

As of April 1, 2013, fresh potatoes from the state of Colorado are approved to be shipped to Taiwan.

Potato growers In Australia have been forced to wait longer for the outcome from an inquiry of the Australian Senate into New Zealand potato imports after the report release date was further delayed.