The National Potato Council and United States Potato Board (USPB) are pleased to announce the US potato industry can now begin exporting fresh potatoes to Russia. A market access agreement between the United States and Russia was signed on 17 March 2009. The signed agreement provides for market access from all US states.

This agreement is the first plant market access agreement ever to be signed between the United States and Russia. Work began on establishing a market access agreement for US potatoes to Russia in 2006. The US potato industry worked through its Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Initiative, jointly funded by the USPB, NPC and state potato organizations.

The final step in the process was a visit by Russian officials to the United States. The officials went to Oregon where they met with state and national officials and toured potato production and packing facilities. The Oregon Potato Commission, Washington State Potato Commission and Idaho Potato Commission helped to organize the visit and hosted this delegation. This final effort would not have been so successful without their assistance.

Source: www.potatopro.com