YEAR-ROUND ACCESS FOR U.S. CHIPPING POTATOES TO JAPAN

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MAFF) in Japan has informed USDA that U.S. chipping potatoes will be allowed to enter year-round starting February 14, 2020. Currently the import protocol for U.S. chipping potatoes states that the import period shall be from February 1 to July 30 each year. The new language will state that U.S. chipping potatoes can enter all year round or January 1 – December 31.

We want to thank USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) negotiators and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) personnel in Tokyo who have worked diligently for many years to secure this increased access. Year-round access should allow U.S. fresh chip-stock potato exports to Japan to increase, though the very tight shipment, processing and waste treatment requirements in Japan limits the number of chip processors in Japan currently buying U.S. potatoes. The U.S. exported 32,240 metric tons of fresh chipping potatoes, valued at $15,014,946 in 2019. U.S. exports were 41,683 MT in 2016, when exports were allowed in December & January due to the short crop in Japan.