Canadian officials have stated that Canada is sending more fresh potatoes to US markets. Between 2020 and 2022, Canadian potato exports to the US increased by 20.8 percent due to a decline in US potato production, said Bronwyn Goodman, communications officer at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. US production declined by 2 percent in 2021 and 3 percent in 2022. Also, Canada’s weaker dollar helps exporters.
Maine farmers have witnessed a season plagued by rain, which left some potatoes too wet to harvest. They also faced inflation that raised farming costs. Some now say that the cheaper Canadian tubers are affecting their profits.
Potatoes are Maine’s premier food crop. In 2022, the state produced 1.8 billion pounds of potatoes, valued at $247 million, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
This year Canadian tubers might have slightly better quality because of Maine’s wet growing and harvest season, but the biggest reason Northeastern markets buy Canadian potatoes seems to be the exchange rate.
Source: thecounty.me