National Potato Council on Joint US-Mexico Announcement on Potential Reopening of Mexican Market to US Potatoes

National Potato Council Statement on Joint U.S.-Mexico Announcement on Potential Reopening of Mexican Market to U.S. Potatoes

April 06, 2022

Source

National Potato Council (NPC)

The National Potato Council today released the following statement in response to a joint announcement by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Víctor Villalobos that, according to the agreed workplan, the entire Mexican market would be open no later than May 15 for all U.S. table stock and chipping potatoes:

The National Potato Council appreciates the positive announcements and thanks to Secretary Vilsack and the teams at USDA and USTR for their efforts to ensure that Mexico lives up to its bilateral trade obligations.

Given the history of this 25-year trade dispute, they are waiting to declare victory until they see durable exports of both fresh processing and table stock potatoes throughout all of Mexico as required by the November 2021 signed agreement.

They hope the April site visit by Mexican officials will be the last hurdle They 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.

U.S., Mexican Agriculture Secretaries Meet to Address Shared Priorities

United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos met this week to continue cooperation on shared priorities including open trade, science-based policy-making, and sustainable and climate-smart agricultural production.

Following their meetings, Vilsack and Villalobos announced that the United States and Mexico have concluded all necessary plant health protocols and agreed to a final visit by Mexican officials in April that finalizes 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 work plan.

During their engagement, the Secretaries reaffirmed their shared commitment to:

promoting food security by facilitating trade, inclusive rural development, and enabling sustainable productivity growth;
continuing to support rural development by expanding market opportunities for agricultural producers and their products;
helping small producers and new farmers, particularly with respect to developing local and regional markets tackling climate change by giving farmers access to tools and technologies that enable them to increase production while minimizing their environmental impacts;
and enhancing plant and animal health cooperation to meet emerging threats and to promote food security.

Two-way trade in food and agricultural products between the United States and Mexico reached a record USD 63 billion in 2021 and the strong relationship between the North American neighbors has been further enhanced by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Mexico is the largest export market for U.S. potatoes and products valued at USD 394 million in 2021. Despite the restriction to the 26-kilometer border region Mexico is the second-largest market for fresh potato exports accounting for 124,449 metric tons valued at USD 60 million in 2021.

The U.S. potato industry estimates that access to the entire country for fresh U.S. potatoes will provide a market potential of USD 250 million per year, in five years.