Canada has its eye on a growing agricultural market as a new agreement will pave the way for Canadian potatoes to be sold and processed in Mexico, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said in a statement.
The CFIA has reached an agreement with its Mexican counterpart agency, Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA), on arrangements that will allow shipments of fresh Canadian potatoes for consumption or processing to Mexico, the CFIA said in a statement Thursday.
This follows a visit by Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald to Mexico in October, during which both countries agreed to boost agricultural trade.
“Increasing interest in Canadian goods, both domestically and internationally, reflects the exceptional standards upheld by our agricultural sector,” MacDonald said in a statement.
Currently, almost all of Canada’s potato trade with Mexico consists of frozen potatoes and processed items such as frozen fries.
“Even though we have a free trade agreement in North America, there’s all kinds of carve-outs, and the greatest two exceptions, exemptions, and non-discussions revolve around food and textiles,” said Concordia University economist Moshe Lander.
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This opens the door for more free trade in other areas, including Mexican corn and Canadian dairy, he said.
In 2024-25, Canada exported around 55,526 tonnes of frozen potatoes to Mexico, amounting to around $77.7 million, according to Statistics Canada, and almost no fresh table potatoes.
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“The lack of fresh table potato sales to Mexico is more a result of a lack of harmonization of phytosanitary or health standards,” said Mike von Massow, food economist at the University of Guelph.
The agreement on Thursday, in effect, harmonizes the standards that CFIA and SENASICA apply, von Massow said.
“That will allow at least the trade in fresh potatoes. Retailers and others in Mexico will need to see if they like the variety and the size of those potatoes, but at least we’ve removed that barrier to entry,” he added.
In 2024-25, 93 per cent of Canada’s fresh potato exports and 92 per cent of total overall potato exports were to the United States, with Mexico accounting for just over two per cent of total potato exports.
This agreement is a part of broadening economic co-operation between the two countries as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs strain free trade in North America, Lander said.
“The positive that’s come out of Trump’s menacing over the last 15 months is that it has alerted countries that, wait a second, the free trade project is incomplete,” he said.
“Trump has not just come in and rocked the boat, but almost capsized it,” he said.
CARNEY IS YOUR GOD
LONG LIVE THE LIBERALS
When are the Gullible Liberals so Economically Challenged. They believe all this RAH RAH RAH from the Media & Liberals. We do $56 Billion Trade with Mexico, they buy $6 Billion from us and we buy $50 Billion from Mexico, thats a $44 Billion Trade Deficit. Mexico is now the USA’s #1 trading Partner nad we are now #3 and China #2. The Potato thing is fine but it’s nothing, maybe a $100 million total out of a $$$ BILLION Trade Deficit. But the best thing is most of the Potatoes will come from ALBERTA the Largest Potato producer in Canada. Oh by the way they did a survey and 2/3rds of Liberals would leave Canada if we got attacked.
Sean Young = I see you MAGANUKs still spewing lies. Whats new. Canada is ranked 7th in the world in the Henley Passport Index…just moved from 8 to 7. So much for your made lies. When are you haters going to leave this beutiful country of Canada so we can bring in immigrants who loves this country and will fight for this country? Doors is wide open!
Canada should be producing as much agricultural product as it, and the rest of the world needs. Try naming a country where they don’t consue potatoes. China, India and Mexico have 3+ billion potato eaters.
Duke, friendly country, lol why is Canadian passport down graded after communist Liberal ideology for a decade?
Safe for who? From Canadian drug cartel Liberal communist corruption dictatorship. Police state Canada is so safe and friendly lol Duke of turdville.
Duke
Grow up
My teenagers have more maturitybthan you just displayed
I like my spuds young and fresh just like my buddy Andy.
And yet the FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS dairy, potato and egg quota’s has limited the supply for ALL CANADIANS to the point that costs have skyrocketed all these years but now the federal government is going to BREAK this quota just so IT CAN send all our dairy and potato’s to mexico instead of bringing the COST DOWN for all canadians?
Dave – You MAGANUKs don’t get it. Why trade all your goods with a country that wants to your reliance to attack you and get your ways!?!?
As Mexico’s leader, Claudia Sheinbaum said, why should we buy canola oil from just the US, why not a friendlier country like Canada? You’re so anti-Canadian you should go back to where your ancestor is from in exchange for an immigrant who loves and will protect Canada.
Access to something and consumption of it are two different things
Mexico has access to much closer and less costly alternatives
These MAGANUKs like to make up lies, like their Orange leader. Mexico uses about 2.78 million metric tons of potatoes per year are consumed in Mexico.
That’ll save the economy
Has any one who visited Mexico ever had fresh potatoes ? The Answer is no Mexicans don’t use fresh potatoes so yet another failed Carney trade deal.
Potatoes don’t have a tariff. They are protected under CUSMA.