HAVANA - Cuba will dispatch experts to the fields of North Dakota this summer as it closes in on the first agreement to import American seed potatoes, officials said Thursday.

Two Cuban agricultural inspectors plan to check the state's varieties and watch how seed potatoes are packed for shipping to the island. If all goes well, Cuba is prepared to buy about 100 tons of seed potatoes to plant in its fields and see how they fare.

Pedro Alvarez, head of the communist island's food import company Alimport, said Cuba already imports as much as 40,000 tons of seed potatoes annually from Canada and Holland, but that "of course we'd like to diversify our suppliers and varieties."

"What we plan to do is choose some varieties that can produce a high yield," he said, "then buy small amounts to test in our soil together with the supplying country and later, based on the yields, purchase bigger quantities."

He said Cuba already was prepared to send the agricultural officials to North Dakota, but that an eight-week waiting period for visas required by the American mission to the island means the trip won't be possible until July. Still, officials hope to have the state's potatoes planted in Cuba when growing season starts in November.

Roger Johnson, North Dakota's agricultural commissioner, led an 18-member, three-day trade mission to Havana. He said such inspections were common internationally, adding that seed potatoes are more pricey then table varieties. They are also highly perishable - making the prospect of sending them all the way from his state to this Caribbean country tricky.

"We want to start small because the risk is enormous," he said.

Johnson, making his sixth trip to Cuba, said North Dakota has sold more than $30 million worth of products here since 2001, mostly peas, and garbanzo and lentil beans.

Washington's 45-year-old embargo forbids American tourists from visiting Cuba, and chokes off most trade between the two countries, though the direct sale of food and agricultural products began in late 2001. Alvarez said Cuba has since spent more than $2.2 billion on American food and agricultural imports, including shipping and hefty bank fees to send payments through third nations.

Johnson said Cuba also expressed interest in buying table potatoes, but that the bulk of the decisions focused on seed varieties.

He said the island has agreed to buy 10,000 tons of North Dakota red spring wheat, but that both sides had yet to settle on a price. Negotiations are also under way for sales of state soybeans, corn and other crops.

Cuba also is interested in carrying out a similar inspection and testing process for North Dakota barely malt, another American product that would be the first of its kind imported to Cuba.

"We're sure it will be very good," Alvarez joked, "because American beer is very good."

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., took part in a conference call with Johnson on Thursday, saying he would keep pushing in Congress to end the trade embargo.

"We're very proud of the products we produce in the state of North Dakota, and we hope to continue to expand those products into the Cuban marketplace," he said.

Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter traveled to Havana last month to discuss shipping his state's potatoes to Cuba. Idaho officials have said any agreements to ship spuds or seed potatoes also hinge on a future visit to the state by Cuban officials.

Alvarez said officials in Maine have also expressed interest in exporting potatoes to Cuba.