DENVER (October 10, 2013)—The United States Potato Board (USPB) kicked off a new marketing campaign to introduce U.S. fresh table-stock potatoes to the Philippines, in the wake of newly granted market access. From September 17-19, 2013, the USPB conducted a trade mission for U.S. suppliers, as well as a trade seminar for Filipino importers, distributors, retailers, restaurant owners and R&D managers.

DENVER (September 27, 2013)—Food industry buyers and professionals in Burma received their first taste of U.S. frozen and dehydrated potato products with the United States Potato Board’s (USPB) participation in the U.S. Food & Beverage Agent Show. Sponsored by USDA/FAS, the show took place August 22-23, 2013, in Yangon, Burma. Officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Burma represents a promising new market in Southeast Asia, and the show offered U.S. trade groups an opportunity to introduce U.S. food products to local agents, hotels, restaurants, retailers and others.

Washington, D.C.—After four years of work, the National Potato Council (NPC) and the United States Potato Board (USPB) are pleased the government of the Philippines has revised its import requirements to allow for entry of U.S. fresh table-stock potatoes. Previous to this change, only fresh U.S. potatoes destined for processing into potato chips were allowed entry into the Philippines.

DENVER (February 17, 2011)—Two US dehydrated potato seminars for the catering industry in the Philippines created new understanding of the profitability of dehy potatoes and spurred immediate new sales. A local importer, Dane Commodities, reported sales jumped following the seminars as the participants were inspired to test US dehy in their own kitchens.

DENVER (September 7, 2010)—The Vietnam Hotel Restaurant and Institutional (HRI) industry turned out for a United States Potato Board (USPB) reception introducing US table-stock potatoes. This event was held July 20, 2010, at the New World Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. For the first time ever in this new market, the variety, versatility and high quality of US table-stock potatoes were put on display to a group of 242 chefs representing family dining restaurants, hotels, foodservice industry professionals, importers and distributors in Vietnam.

DENVER (April 8, 2010)—In February 2010, the United States Potato Board (USPB) and representatives of the US Seed Task Force toured three of the most important potato production regions in Brazil to promote US seed potatoes with key growers. There are 20 different potato production regions scattered through the southern and central areas of Brazil…

On August 10, 2009, the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the Plant Protection Research and Development Office in the Thailand Department of Agriculture signed off on import protocols for fresh table-stock and chip-stock potatoes from the United States. On October 13, 2009, APHIS announced the same Thai office completed an import protocol for US seed potatoes from the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California.

The United States Potato Board (USPB) will be represented in Vietnam by P R Consultants Limited. The P R Consultants Ltd. office in Vietnam was opened in 2007 and currently represents the US Dairy Export Council in the market. The office is based in Ho Chi Minh City, the commercial hub of Vietnam.

US potato and potato product exports reached a record $1.2 billion for the July 2008 – June 2009 marketing year.

US Potato Board hosts workshop for nternational private voluntary organizations guests

International snack manufacturers gather in Oregon and Los Angeles to see quality of US chipstock varieties and production facilities.

US exports of all potato products reached record levels for both value and volume in marketing year 2008.

Chefs from around China that had won regional contests for their creative use of US frozen potato products in Chinese cuisne were invited to Shanghai for a cook off.