The U.S. government must advocate for increased access for American fresh potato exports to Mexico during any trade negotiations between the two countries, said U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO).
“We encourage you to consider the use of all available mechanisms, including the new dispute resolution authority under the USMCA [the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement] to ensure Mexico honors its agreement to allow U.S. potatoes to reach Mexican consumers,” wrote Sen. Gardner and two of his Republican colleagues in an Aug. 17 letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
U.S. potato exporters in May 2014 were allowed to export fresh potatoes throughout Mexico. However, the Mexican potato industry — represented through Comité Nacional Sistema Producto Papa (CONPAPA) — sued the Mexican government, which reinstated the general U.S. fresh potato export ban. The issue currently is pending before the Mexican Supreme Court, according to Sen. Gardner’s letter, which also was signed by U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID) and Mike Crapo (R-ID).
“Although U.S. potato producers can ship processed, dried and frozen potatoes to Mexico, their access to the fresh potato market has been severely restricted and exports are only permitted within an approximately 16-mile zone south of the U.S.-Mexico border,” the senators wrote. “This limitation greatly reduces opportunities for U.S. potato producers and further limits options for Mexican consumers.”
Sen. Gardner and his colleagues pointed out that trade between the United States and Mexico benefits both countries, which in 2019 engaged in nearly $615 billion in trade. “With the recent conclusion of the USMCA,” they wrote, “U.S.-Mexico trade will continue to grow even more and benefit producers and consumers in both countries.”