(Charlottetown) Prince Edward Island farmers will be able to ship their potatoes to the United States starting next week after a four-month ban.
Posted at 1:35 p.m.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday lifted the final hurdle preventing imports of table potatoes from the province to the United States.
Canada halted exports in November after potato wart, which disfigures potatoes and reduces crop yields but poses no threat to human health, was detected in several fields across the country. island last fall.
PEI Potato Council general manager Greg Donald says the lifting of the ban was good news because demand is very high right now.
However, farmers in the province will face many challenges to restore their imports, Donald agrees. Transportation and supply chain issues have recently plagued this sector.
According to him, production costs will rise by around 25% in the next planting season due to higher prices for fertilizers, fuel and labour.
PEI seed potatoes, which account for about 10% of the island’s annual production, remain banned in the United States.