Dec 18, 2017US potato exports rebounded in October
U.S. potato and product exports all posted positive growth in October 2017 compared to 2016 according to Potatoes USA. Frozen exports led the way with a 10-percent increase in volume and a 11-percent bump in value at $106 million. Exports of dehydrated potatoes rose 4 percent in volume and 5 percent in value at $15 million, while fresh potato exports increased 9 percent in volume and 17 percent in value to $15 million for the month.
Frozen volume export growth was paced by a 54 percent increase to Mexico, 10 percent to Central America, 49 percent to Indonesia, 26 percent to the Philippines and 40 percent to Vietnam. Even exports to China were up 16 percent for the month, but are still down 23 percent for the (July–June) marketing year to date, said Potatoes USA, adding that a 7-percent decline in exports to Korea and 14-percent drop to Thailand were the only real negatives for the month.
Dehy volume export growth was led by an increase of 38 percent to Japan, 82 percent to Korea and 194 percent to the Philippines. Exports to China continued to decline, down 12 percent for the month with exports to Mexico also off 12 percent. Both countries are down for the marketing year to date.
Exports of fresh potatoes, both table-stock and chip-stock, received a large boost from a 48-percent increase to Mexico. There was also a 2,400-percent increase in exports of chipping potatoes to Korea. That reversed the situation of virtually no exports the previous year. Unfortunately, said Potatoes USA, there were also a lot of declines in fresh exports, led by 33-percent drop to the largest market, Canada. Exports to Canada are still however, up 24 percent for the marketing year.
For more detailed export figures, download the full reports for frozen, dehy and fresh.
