Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/14183
Slow But Steady USPB cultivating market development in Mexico By Tyler J. Baum, editor “SLOW BUT STEADY WINS THE RACE,” is the moral and the final sentence in the English translation of Aesop’s infamous fable about oddly matched competitors in an exhibition race, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” Every child who has heard the fable—about an overly confident hare racing against a diligent-but-confident tortoise—knows which animal became the victor in the end. In today’s potato industry, the United States Potato Board is the tortoise, slowly but steadily working toward the industry’s ultimate goal of full access into Mexico, by focusing on development in a small geographical region. 26 KILOMETERS Over seven years ago, the U.S. potato industry and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) agreed to a plan to allow shipments of fresh potatoes in to Mexico. The plan called for U.S. potatoes to be restricted to a 26-kilometer zone along the border in year one, then to the five border states in year two and the remainder of Mexico, based on a bilateral consultation in year three. While it was a major achievement at the time, the 26-kilometer region has not 20 IGSA 2010 expanded in seven years. Until it does, the USPB is continuing to cultivate demand within that 26-kilometer region to further increase demand for U.S. table-stock. John Toaspern, Vice President of International Marketing for the USPB, says there are two aspects to working with Mexico: market access and market development. While the National Potato Council works tirelessly to gain further market access into Mexico, the USPB patiently continues to expand the use of U.S. potatoes in that northern-most region. “We work with chefs and restaurants in the border area to help them integrate U.S. potatoes into their menus, help them come up with new and innovative ways of using U.S. potatoes on their menus and we have a very robust public relations program.” The plan doesn’t just focus on that 26-kilometer region—it’s national in scope, as the USPB works with family lifestyle magazines, cooking magazines, cooking websites and more to provide positive information about U.S. potatoes. That positive information includes new recipes, healthy ways to prepare potatoes and ways for athletes to incorporate U.S. table-stock into their diet programs. POSITIVE NUMBERS Since 2003, the market for U.S. fresh potatoes in Mexico has certainly grown. During the July 2004 to June 2005 period, the U.S. shipped 37,064 metric tons of fresh potatoes into Mexico. That had grown to 56,590 metric tons by 2007– 2008, but dropped off in 2008–2009, to 45,986 metric tons because of the tight supply and high prices in the U.S. that year. The 2008–2009 total shipment was valued at over $27 million. Exports for July 2009 through April 2010 are 61,600 metric tons, already surpassing the previous high for a marketing year. Toaspern says that it’s certainly an important market for specific regions, such as Colorado, Washington, Idaho and California at certain times of the year, though relatively small compared to the U.S. market. “In terms of the overall impact on the U.S. industry, it’s obviously a positive, but not substantial at this point,” he says. The top priority of the USPB and NPC going forward? Full access. “The upside of full access is huge,” he says. Like the slow-but-steady tortoise in the fable, diligence is important. IGSA “Idaho Potatoes...Safe and Sustainable Food for Today and Tomorrow”