Maine seed potato growers see limited opportunities in Thailand

A federal announcement that Maine seed potato producers can now ship their potatoes to Thailand likely won’t have a big impact on the industry, Maine Potato Board officials said Wednesday.

Don Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato Board, said that he doesn’t believe that many people in the industry will take advantage of the new ruling because of the logistics involved.

“It would be too costly and time-consuming to ship to Thailand,” said Flannery. “So it likely won’t really affect the industry in Maine.”

Flannery said that any increased opportunities for potato growers and producers is good for the industry, but he said that Maine growers likely will continue to take advantage of opportunities to sell their product closer to home.