Ongoing Efforts Aim to Secure Fresh Potato Market Access in Japan
The U.S. potato industry is intensifying its efforts to gain access to the Japanese market for fresh U.S. potatoes. Although Japan is a significant importer of processed potatoes from the United States, it currently does not permit the import of fresh table stock potatoes.
Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council (NPC), emphasized the importance of this market expansion. “It’s a big market for processed potatoes, and we also received access for chipping potatoes about three years ago,” Quarles noted. “But there is no fresh table stock potato access.” According to Quarles, gaining access to export fresh potatoes to Japan could boost fresh U.S. potato exports by approximately 10 percent.
The NPC estimates that full market access for fresh U.S. potatoes could result in an additional $150 million in annual exports. This potential increase would benefit U.S. potato growers and the domestic industry as a whole. Jamey Higham, CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission, highlighted the significance of this opportunity. “We love markets to export to because that takes some of the pressure off of our domestic supply,” said Higham. “We think our Idaho brand would be well received in Japan.”
Idaho, which leads the nation in total potato production, produces about 14 billion pounds of potatoes annually, accounting for roughly one-third of the United States’ total potato supply. Potatoes are Idaho’s top crop in terms of revenue and the state’s most renowned product.
The economic impact of the U.S. potato sector is substantial. According to the “Spud Nation” report, the U.S. potato industry had an estimated $101 billion impact on the national economy in 2021. The report reveals that about 20 percent of American potatoes are exported, contributing nearly $4.8 billion to the economy and supporting approximately 34,000 jobs.
The push for market access has garnered support from U.S. lawmakers. On April 11, a bipartisan group of ten U.S. senators, including both of Idaho’s senators, sent a letter to the president urging continued efforts to secure fresh potato access to Japan. This request has been on the table for almost three decades.
