Puerto Rico supermarket shelves empty as P.E.I. potato supply dries up

Potato importers in Puerto Rico say they are not able to fill their orders to supermarkets on the Caribbean island because they can't get enough supply to fill the void created by the export ban on P.E.I. potatoes. 

More than 80 per cent of Puerto Rico's potatoes would usually come from Prince Edward Island. 

"We are in a bad, bad situation right now," said Mark Antunez, president of Antunez & Son Produce, who has been importing from P.E.I. since 1988.

"We are the ones who supply the stores. There is about five or six big companies in Puerto Rico who supply the market, and there are no potatoes in the market."

Antunez said his potato cooler is now filled with other vegetables, as he searches for more potatoes.  

"For example, normally I bought three or four containers a week from Prince Edward Island. Last week we ordered three loads and they guarantee just one," Antunez said. 

"That's what I got in inventory, less what we already supplied our customers, and they do not have supply in the stores either." 

Antunez said he had been receiving potatoes from New Brunswick, but they are not able to fill his request for three containers, sending him just one. 

"We started being supplied from New Brunswick because in the United States, there is not plenty of potato to supply the States, plus the island of Puerto Rico," Antunez said.   "But the New Brunswick company, probably they have their regular customers, plus on top of that add more customers like the U.S., plus Puerto Rico. It's not easy for them."

Antunez said there have also been delays when the shipments do arrive because of extra scrutiny from border authorities, including the USDA. 

"They put all the containers in hold for inspection. And sometimes it takes one or two days after we receive the containers in our warehouse, until they came to verify that the merchandise is not from P.E.I.," Antunez said.

"So it takes longer from the day that I received to supply my customers, to delivering the merchandise to my customers because of that — because the inspections." 

Antunez said he is now rationing the potatoes he is able to import to Puerto Rico, meaning none of his customers are receiving their full orders.

"I have to split my one container that I receive, and normally I move three containers," Antunez said.