Potato market expanded

Member of Parliament Dan Vandal on behalf of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, was in Winnipeg recently to provide remarks at the Canadian Horticultural Council 95th Annual General Meeting, where he announced more than $274,000 in Growing Forward 2 funding to help expand markets for Canadian potatoes.

This project, funded under the AgriMarketing Program, provides the Canadian Horticultural Council with up to $274,714 to help grow foreign and domestic markets for Canadian potatoes, through trade shows, targeted advertising, incoming missions, market research and development, and product promotion.

This investment is part of the federal government’s plan to help Canadian farmers expand markets at home and abroad.

“The Government of Canada is committed to working with the Canadian Horticultural Council to grow Canada’s dynamic horticulture industry. These investments will help expand markets and demand for Canadian potatoes, while ensuring the highest standards for consumers around the world,” said Vandal.

Canada’s horticulture sector has almost $5 billion in farm-gate receipts annually; and $3.8 billion in exports annually.

Canadian potato exports are currently $1.6 billion dollars annually.