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US Potato Board eyes Russia for potential exports of potatoes
United States
Thursday 03 April 2008
Staff from the USPB International Marketing Department spent a week in Moscow recently learning about the Russian potato market and the potential for US exports. The visit was organized by the USDA Agricultural Trade Office in Moscow and coincided with the “World Food Show”, which featured food products from around the world and Russia.
While Russia is the second largest potato producer in the world, the assessment team learned only 10 percent of this production occurs on commercial farms with the rest on peasant plots or personal gardens outside the major cities. Additionally, potato storage is very poor, with imports from Europe and the Middle East beginning in January and running through June. There is no frozen potato processing in Russia, though McCain’s has been exploring the prospects for a number of years now.
Some basic dehy processing does exist, but it is not of good quality. There is, however, a new large scale dehy plant being built this year. Initial contacts indicate strong demand for dehydrated potatoes for food manufacturing in western Russia.
There was also good interest in fresh potatoes during the winter and spring from both western and eastern Russia. Interest in frozen potatoes from the US in western Russia was limited, but there are exports currently going to eastern Russia. USPB staff will visit eastern Russia in the spring of 2008 and make a final decision at that point in terms of the establishment of a marketing program in this vast and economically growing country.
While Russia is the second largest potato producer in the world, the assessment team learned only 10 percent of this production occurs on commercial farms with the rest on peasant plots or personal gardens outside the major cities. Additionally, potato storage is very poor, with imports from Europe and the Middle East beginning in January and running through June. There is no frozen potato processing in Russia, though McCain’s has been exploring the prospects for a number of years now.
Some basic dehy processing does exist, but it is not of good quality. There is, however, a new large scale dehy plant being built this year. Initial contacts indicate strong demand for dehydrated potatoes for food manufacturing in western Russia.
There was also good interest in fresh potatoes during the winter and spring from both western and eastern Russia. Interest in frozen potatoes from the US in western Russia was limited, but there are exports currently going to eastern Russia. USPB staff will visit eastern Russia in the spring of 2008 and make a final decision at that point in terms of the establishment of a marketing program in this vast and economically growing country.
