Aug 26, 2019US, Japan reach deal to return to TPP trade terms, potato industry reacts
On Aug. 25, the National Potato Council is strongly supporting the announcement at the G7 meeting in Biarritz, France that an agreement has been struck on agricultural trade between the U.S. and Japan.
“This announcement is welcome news for our industry,” said Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council. “It allows U.S. potato exporters to recapture vital momentum in Japan and level the playing field against foreign competitors.”
“Creating a new agreement with Japan that preserves benefits previously negotiated under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been a key objective of the National Potato Council,” said Jared Balcom, chairman of NPC’s Trade Affairs Committee and a farmer from Pasco, Washington. “We believe today’s announcement indicates that the White House, the Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) share that goal and are committed to making it a reality,”
Japan is the U.S. potato industry’s largest export market with exports totaling over $350 million in the past year. Given a competitive tariff regime and reasonable market access agreements, it is believed that this market can grow by another $150 million annually (42%) in the very near future.
“We sincerely appreciate the dedicated work of (U.S. Trade) Ambassador Lighthizer, Secretary (of Agriculture Sonny) Perdue and the dedicated agricultural professionals supporting them at USTR, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS),” Quarles said.
