US potatoes find market in Vietnam

For the past two years, the United States Potato Board has been working to develop markets for American potatoes in Vietnam. On Friday, Sept. 21, a first container of just over 14 metric tons of US potatoes arrived in Ho Chi Minh City.

USPB International Marketing Vice President John Toaspern said Vietnamese importers now have permits allowing them to bring in US table-stock potatoes through December. Toaspern said the US potato industry will now reap the rewards of that investment, effort and commitment in Vietnam.

In addition to trade shows, US potatoes were also packed and sent to over one thousand restaurants, hotels, food catering services, supermarkets and wholesale dealers. USPB said those events led chefs and retailers to begin asking their importers about finding US potatoes.