Potatoes grow in a field outside of Burley, Idaho, in this undated photo. (Getty Images)
Idaho officials continue to put pressure on the Japanese government after years of trying to get fresh Idaho potatoes into their market.
This month, Idaho officials and officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture met with their Japanese counterparts in Idaho Falls for a Plant Health Bilateral Meeting. These meetings promote agricultural trade between the U.S. and foreign countries.
The U.S. has exported frozen potatoes to Japan to make chips since 2006, but it has yet to export fresh potatoes, despite first requesting access to the Japanese market nearly 30 years ago.
Fresh potatoes are one step closer to entering Japan’s market after Idaho trade mission
U.S. officials are determined to bring fresh potatoes to Japan, as exports to the country would lead to an estimated $150 million to $200 million annually once opened, according to a press release from the National Potato Commission. Idaho is the largest producer of potatoes in the country, harvesting about 310,000 acres annually and accounting for more than $1.3 billion in revenue in 2023, according to the governor’s office.