Myanmar Chip Processors Prefer Chipping Potatoes from the United States

US fresh and seed potatoes were the first American produce products approved for importation into Myanmar under new rules for fresh horticulture products which required a formal plant health risk assessment.

Potatoes USA worked closely with USDA to submit the required documents and also met with the Myanmar plant health officials in person earlier in 2017, and as a result, the first shipment of U.S. chipping potatoes arrived in Myanmar last month.

The shipment was arranged by Potatoes USA and utilized Quality Samples Program funding from USDA. The container of approximately 25 tons was distributed among four local processing companies, most of which were small businesses. These processors, who regularly use local Myanmar potatoes, had been experiencing issues with inconsistent quality and size. Confident that U.S. chip-stock potatoes would result in a much higher quality product, the Potatoes USA Myanmar team arranged this trial shipment.

Each of the processors conducted product trials, and each reported that U.S. potatoes produced chips that were far superior to those made from the local potatoes. Waste was reduced, the shape and color were better, the chips absorbed less oil, and importantly the taste of the chips was delicious.

As a result of the product trials, several processors expressed interested in pursuing purchases of U.S. chip-stock potatoes. This is a great new opportunity for U.S. potatoes and Potatoes USA will continue to work to facilitate this trade.