After two plus years of effort and numerous submissions of the applications, four US seed potato varieties were accepted into Brazil's National Registry of Cultivars. The four new registrations are for Cal White, Pike, Chipeta and Cherry Red.
The bureaucratic process was overcome through the efforts of the USPB "Team Seed", the USPB representative in the market and pressure from USDA officials stationed in Brazil. Tthe USPB gained market access to Brazil for US seed potatoes over 2 years ago, but sales were limited by the lack of registration of varieties grown in the US, except Atlantics.
The first sales of U.S. chipping potatoes to Brazil occurred this year with 25 metric tons of Atlantics being exported from Maine. It is hoped that the combination of this successful sale, along with the registration of these new varieties, will allow for the U.S. to take advantage of the good market in Brazil for seed potatoes.