After the United States opened its door to more Philippine fresh mangoes, it’s now turn of the country to embrace more white potatoes from its longtime trading partner.
In a report on Thursday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates US potato exports to the country will reach 15,000 metric tons (MT) this year.
According to the report, the Philippines’s Department of Agriculture (DA) “formally allowed [in June 2013] the importation of US fresh table-stock potatoes for consumption.”
“Prior to the USDA negotiated market access, all US fresh potatoes entering the Philippine market were restricted to chipping and processing purposes,” the report added.
Following the opening of the Philippine market, the USDA also said fresh potato exports to the country nearly doubled last year to 10,161 MT, compared with just 5,289 MT in 2012.
The DA Administrative Circular 2 that took effect on June 22 last year allowed the importation of the fresh potatoes from all over the US except for the potato cyst nematode-regulated areas of Idaho.
The administrative circular also allowed an accredited importer to first secure a sanitary and phytosanitary import permit from the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) prior to shipment, just like all fresh vegetable importation.
It also further requires that all fresh potato shipments must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection service attesting that the shipment conforms with all quarantine requirements and conditions covered by the BPI plant quarantine clearance guidance.
According to the USDA, the sudden spike in Philippine import of US white potato is due to both increased demand for chipping potatoes and the access granted for table-stock potatoes.
The USDA, quoting Philippine trading partner export statistics, said the top 3 exporting countries for potatoes in 2013 include the US, Germany (4,215 MT) and China (1,905 MT).
The report added that imports of potatoes from China to the Philippines dropped significantly last year “due to Philippine government efforts to crack down on illegal imports.”
“Export prices of fresh potatoes from the European Union increased slightly in 2013, resulting in a slight decline in total volume of exports [of potatoes] to the Philippines.”
Alladin S. Diega | Correspondent