'First glimmer of hope': P.E.I. potato growers react to news on export ban

P.E.I. potato growers reacted with relief and optimism to news out of Washington Thursday that an end to the export ban to the United States is in sight. 

Canada's agriculture minister said she's optimistic that shipments of Island potatoes will start to head to Puerto Rico within two weeks, and the mainland states shortly after that.

"As soon as we get the green light from [the U.S.], the CFIA will start issuing export certificates for people," Marie-Claude Bibeau said in an interview with CBC News: Compass.

"There's a time sensitivity, and this is why we pushed really hard to get a response within weeks. And we also know that farmers have decisions to make for the next season. So this is why we're very glad to get this commitment to proceed with table stock potatoes."

Ray Keenan, of Rollo Bay Holdings in Souris, P.E.I., called the news the "first glimmer of hope" since the border was closed on Nov. 21.

'From no hope to promise'

Keenan's company usually ships 40 to 50 per cent of its potatoes to the U.S.

"Here we are 10 weeks later, we're transitioning today from no hope to promise," Keenan said.

"We do understand that there's a bit of a time lag here to get these potatoes moving into Puerto Rico to begin with, and then hopefully later into mainland U.S.A. But this is certainly a breakthrough, to say the least." 

Keenan said the next step will be to get ready to ship again, after a 10-week break.

"We obviously have U.S. customers that we have to get back on track now, we have to get our transportation link back in place because we had trucks on steady, steady standby to haul potatoes to the U.S. they're obviously hauling other goods right now," Keenan said.

"That's a big part of our of our life right now, trying to get this re-established."

Lost sales

Keenan said losing more than 10 weeks of sales will hurt many farmers.

"We have to hope, first of all, the potatoes that are in storage that they're keeping well," Keenan said.

"We've lost 10 weeks. That is significant, they're the best 10 weeks of the year. When you take out Christmas, it's huge in Puerto Rico and and plus you understand it's going to be a couple of weeks before it gets going. So there's a lot to put back in place." 

Other Island growers were also relieved to see progress toward lifting the ban.

"We've already had calls, I think our buyers are more excited about it than even we are, maybe," said Chad Robertson of Marvyn's Garden in eastern P.E.I.
 
"We've already had a call from Puerto Rico, from a dealer there, he's really excited to get the potatoes moving back. They're in dire need of them, and we're certainly excited to start shipping as soon as we can back to those markets."

Salvage the season

Randy Visser, president of G Visser & Sons in Orwell Cove, P.E.I.  is also hoping to get back into the Puerto Rico market. The company would usually sell 70 per cent of its potatoes to customers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. 

He has been shipping potatoes from New Brunswick to his customers in the U.S. territory as a stopgap measure, to ensure that they didn't run out. 

"Just having some indication of a resolution in the future will help us get some wind in the sails," Visser said. 

"As soon as we hear official notice, we are going to do everything we can to salvage what's left of the shipping season. And in the longer term, work on repairing the damage done."

Visser was reaching out directly to his customers in Puerto Rico to update them on the latest developments. 
 
"I'm going to give them the news now and hopefully warm them up to seeing some P.E.I. potatoes back on the shelves again soon," Visser said.
 
"I think they will be happy with the news, and I hope we can pick right back up again with them. They are really great people down there, as much friends as customers really."