The border for potatoes from the Canadian Prince Edward Island is being opened by the US. For the first time since the outbreak of the wart disease, table potatoes can be exported to US territory, albeit in the Caribbean region, namely Puerto Rico.
According to the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture, resuming exports to Puerto Rico is an important step in restoring access to the US market. In 2020, Canadian potato exports to the island totaled approximately $12 million. The risks of exporting potatoes from Prince Edward Island to Puerto Rico are zero, according to the Canadian ministry. Potatoes are not grown commercially in Puerto Rico and both Canadian and American authorities strictly control exported potatoes.
Was avoidable
The resumption of exports to Puerto Rico has by no means solved the problems of Canadian growers. The PEI Potato Board called the export freeze 'devastating for potato growers in Prince Edward Island' in a statement last week. According to the PEI Potato Board, a lot of work has been done in the last three months to open up possibilities on the border in one way or another. “But we warned this was coming XNUMX weeks ago and now it has happened. It is a heartbreaking, traumatic experience for any farmer, and made even worse knowing it was completely avoidable.”