News on US potato export to Mexico

United States potato exports reached record value and volume in the 12-month period from July 2022 – June 2023. Export values increased 19.05% to USD 2.2 billion, and export volume increased 3.85% to 3.3 million metric tons (fresh weight equivalent).

Washington potato farmers can’t keep pace with worldwide cravings for french fries, hash browns, tots, potato chips and other processed potato products.

Eagle Eye Produce had been harvesting new crop potatoes for several weeks before beginning harvest for its storage supplies the week after Labor Day. While it is still too early to know the overall projection for the crop.

U.S. farmers started shipping fresh potatoes into the Mexican interior in May, about 20 years after an initial deal was signed between the two countries.

The National Confederation of Potato Producers of the Mexican Republic (Conpapa) ruled against the importation of fresh potatoes from the United States, due to its 'high risk of containing quarantine pests'.

The National Potato Council 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 

U.S. exports of frozen potato products increased by 30% for the July – September 2021 quarter compared to 2020. These increases were led by a 63% increase to Mexico

Exports from the U.S. were impacted by reduced demand and shipping problems starting in January 2020; this reduced demand carried through the end of 2020.

The United States pressured Mexico on Wednesday to allow genetically modified crops into the country and to open up access to U.S.-grown potatoes. Trade talks were held Wednesday in Mexico City.

You may have read last week that Mexican Agriculture Secretary Víctor Villalobos Arámbula is expected to travel to Washington, D.C. in early August to meet with his American counterpart, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Por unanimidad, ministros de la Primera Sala de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN), revocaron los amparos que un juez de distrito otorgó a productores de Sinaloa, con los cuales frenó la importación de papa fresca proveniente de EEUU.

Groups encourage Mexico regulators to immediately begin the rulemaking process to allow for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes throughout the country.

México produce 1.8 millones de toneladas anuales, donde se exporta muy poco por los riesgos fitosanitarios que hay en el mundo.

During the hearing of the Mexican Supreme Court held on February 24, the justice who authored the draft ruling overturning a ban on the importation of U.S. fresh potatoes asked the court to postpone a vote until next week at the earliest.

On February 17, 2021, the Mexican Supreme Court released a draft ruling that would overturn a 2017 lower court decision preventing the Mexican federal government from implementing regulations to allow the import of fresh US potatoes throughout the country.

Potato farmers are asking U.S. agricultural officials for support in expanding export trade into Mexico. Currently, American potato farmers and exporters are mostly barred from selling fresh potatoes in Mexico due to restrictions by the Mexican government

President Trump removed the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Friday, May 17. Mexico responded by removing its 20% tariff on frozen potatoes imported from the United States on May 20.

Citing national security and biosecurity, a federal judge in Mexico yesterday barred the import of fresh potatoes from the United States, describing the country as 'a power that in recent times has institutionalized hostile policies towards Mexico'.