The Mexican government published a final regulation March 20 regarding cross-border trade of fresh potatoes, allowing shipments of potatoes between the United States and Mexico in both directions, with the details on phytosanitary and other protocols still to be worked out.

"The U.S. potato industry and our partners at USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are pleased to learn that the Mexican government has issued its final rule designed to achieve the bilateral goal of expanding trade in fresh potatoes between our two countries," according to a joint statement issued March 20 by the National Potato Council and the U.S. Potato Board. "Publishing the final rule is an important step in the parallel regulatory efforts taking place on both sides of the border. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has indicated it will publish is final rule in the Federal Register next week. The final regulations issued by Mexico provide the structure for trade in potatoes between all countries and Mexico. A specific protocol agreed to by the U.S. and Mexico will govern the specifics of potato trade between the countries."

Shipments of potatoes between the United States and Mexico were expected to begin before June.

"It has been a long time coming," John Toaspern, vice president of international marketing at USPB, said in a telephone interview with The Produce News March 21. "We made progressive steps along the way, but certainly this is the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people."

The cross-border trade in fresh potatoes should benefit growers both the United States and Mexico as well as consumers in both countries, he said.

"We are very excited that all this hard work and perseverance is going to have, hopefully, the ultimate payoff. However, we are not quite into the end zone yet," Toaspern added, stating that he would be pleased to make additional comments "when U.S. potatoes are for sale in Mexico City."

"We believe this is about a $100 million potential market" for fresh U.S. potatoes exported to Mexico, Mark Szymanski, director of public relations for the National Potato Council, said March 21. Currently, "we are able to ship fresh 26 kilometers into Mexico, so a very limited amount of fresh shipments" are now going into Mexico. However, Mexico is the third-largest export market for U.S. frozen and processed potatoes, with a $185 million value in 2012, "mostly frozen," he said.

Mexico's final regulation is "definitely a significant step" in the process of expanding access of fresh potatoes to all of Mexico, Szymanski said.

It is too early to tell what it will mean for Idaho, the leading potato-producing state in the United States, according to Seth Pemsler, vice president of retail and international at the Idaho Potato Commission.

"We have no knowledge" as to exactly what the new protocols will be, "so we are going to have to wait to really understand the implications, for Idaho especially but also for everybody else," Pemsler said. "Access has been granted but the details have yet to be published. In about two weeks, they will publish the final protocol process, which will include phytosanitary."

Not only will the United States be shipping potatoes to Mexico, but Mexico will be shipping fresh potatoes to the United States, and "Mexico grows some pretty good potatoes," a white variety not grown in the United States, according to Pemsler. That "could be a positive for the potato category in total because any time a new variety comes in it may meet new consumer needs or expectations, so it could actually help further develop the potato category."

The Idaho Potato Commission " would like to thank the U.S. Potato Board and the National Potato Council" for their efforts over many years "to create market access," Pemsler said. "Their persistence has made it possible for the border to finally open. Certainly we support everything that they have done and their success."