The United States has not ended its attempts to open Mexico's borders to their fresh potatoes. As a result, Mexican potato producers continue to defend the closing of the border due to phytosanitary issues in the courts.
The president of the National Confederation of Potato Producers (Conpapa), Gerardo Garcia Menaut, said they would maintain their position so that the fresh potatoes from the USA do not enter the country for as long as it's necessary.
"This is happening because of the existing phytosanitary issues. The potato is one of the crops that has the most pests and diseases, as they can be affected by insects, viruses, fungi, bacteria, so we have to be very careful not to transmit pests of quarantine importance from one country to another," he stressed.
In spite of this position, he said that Mexico had a great trade with the US, as Mexico already imports fresh potatoes equivalent to 6.87% of the national production into the border strip.
That's how far the potatoes from the US have gotten to because US producers haven't complied with the protocols they signed in 2013 to enter the border cities and the interior of the country," he said.
Regarding processed potatoes, Garcia Menaut said that Mexico was the main buyer of US chips, the second biggest buyer of processed potatoes from that country, and the third biggest buyer of dehydrated potatoes.
"Commercially there is a great trade with the United States. Our issue with them is that we want them to comply with the potatoes' phytosanitary requirements so that their product doesn't contaminate our soils and we can continue producing potatoes in the country, but that is already being decided in court. So far the Mexican government and Conpapa have presented all of their proof, and technical and scientific arguments, so we are waiting for the court's final ruling to see what our next step is, but always taking care of Mexico's health and territory," he said.
