DENVER—(November 7, 2008) To continue building relationships with current US chip-stock potato buyers and to educate potential US chip-stock potato buyers about US potatoes and their quality, the United States Potato Board (USPB) recently hosted its third chip-stock Reverse Trade Mission (RTM). Fifteen representatives from major snack manufacturing companies in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China and the Philippines traveled to Klamath Falls, OR; Bakersfield and Los Angeles, CA to learn about chipping potato production, storage and shipping.

The group first toured the Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center to learn about the potato selection and breeding process to see how chipping potatoes are developed. This was followed by a visit to Baley Trotman Farms where information about chipping potato fry color, sugars and specific gravity was presented. Several US chip-stock potato varieties, obtained from the Research and Extension Center, were fried to demonstrate the different colors, and to show how some colored varieties performed. The foreign manufacturers were impressed with these because they fried with vibrant color and would make a good specialty potato chip. University of Minnesota/North Dakota State University Area Extension Agent Emeritus, Duane Preston, gave a presentation on US chipping potato varieties and how they are developed and tested in variety trials. The group then visited Gold Dust Potato Processors. “We toured the washing and fresh packing facility at Gold Dust Potato Processors,” said Sarah Mahler, USPB International Marketing Manager—Chip-Stock. “This provided the group with some much needed insight to see how well potatoes are handled and washed before packing into totes or loading bulk containers.” The RTM then traveled to Bakersfield, CA, and visited Kirschenmann Farms to see their planted fields and to dig several different chipping potato varieties. The group also visited their storage facilities where they currently store chipping varieties and seed potatoes. This visit showed the international participants the diverse growing regions of the United States and demonstrated  how the US potato industry is able to supply potatoes year round. 

During the last day of the RTM, a chipping potato symposium was held with the international participants, US growers and industry experts. Presentations were made by the USPB on each of the target markets for US chip-stock, and each of the participating international chip processors presented information about their companies and their requirements for chipping potatoes. The second half of the seminar included presentations about maintaining US potato quality, US chip-stock supply and demand, contracting and information about how the USPB can help international manufacturers and US growers. “Overall, the chip-stock RTM was a success,” Mahler said. “We helped continue to build relationships with current US chip-stock potato buyers and helped educate potential US chip-stock potato buyers about US potatoes and their quality. The chip-stock RTM combined with the other chip-stock program activities will help create new buyers for US chipping potatoes.”