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Potato group hopeful for better access in Japan

The head of the National Potato Council says ongoing trade negotiations with Japan could open the door to better market access.

Kam Quarles tells Brownfield, “If we can open up Japan to those fresh U.S. potato exports, estimates are that would be $135 million a year in new U.S. ag exports to that very valuable consumer market.”

He says Japan has refused U.S. market access for more than two decades.  

Quarles says trade discussions between the Trump administration and countries throughout the Asia Pacific might also lead to a reduction in tariffs.

“Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines— all of those countries are, to some degree, constrained by tariff rates that limit the amount of potato products and potentially fresh potatoes that might be able to go into their market,” he says.

He says restoring benefits agreed to in the Trans-Pacific Partnership in a bilateral manner could be an ideal approach to increase ag exports.