One of the world's largest french fry processors, McCain Foods Ltd. of Canada, may build a $150 million potato processing plant in Washington.
Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission in Moses Lake, said a new plant could help state potato farmers by giving them another selling option.
"It is significant. It's an opportunity for our growers to expand their acreage and grow more potatoes,"he said, adding that Washington now has 12 such facilities. "Having another plant would be great, because that puts pressure on other plants to up prices for their growers."
He said a new plant could handle about 10 million sacks of potatoes a year, which would encourage farmers to plant another 16,000 acres of Washington potatoes.
