Kenia: Fresh hope for potato producers

Erratic weather conditions and poor market prices have further heaped losses on Kimotho.

“Traders insist on extending the bags, so that instead of buying in 50kg bags, we stuff produce in 200kg packs.”

The good news for Kimotho and other farmers is that the bad times in the industry would soon be over as stakeholders move to better the plight of farmers.

The Potato Consortium, which consists of the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), Grow Africa and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra), last week at the Nyandarua County Potato Fair announced fresh plans to structure the industry.

To begin with, the consortium said it is working on policies that would empower farmers to sell their produce at collection centres only in 50kg bags.

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It has also identified and signed agreements with the private sector companies, who will buy and process the produce.

Further, it has talked with financial institutions so that they can provide funding to both farmers and processors, and lastly, it is encouraging farmers to form cooperative societies through which they would sell their produce.

Kimotho is the chairman of Mirangine Green Silver Farmers Corporative, which brings together 142 potato farmers from Makurata village in Nyandarua County, each with an average of two acres of potatoes.

CONSITENT SUPPLY

That makes the total acreage 280 of which if well managed, a processor is guaranteed consistent supply. Valentines Miheso, the Programmes officer for Partnerships at Agra, says potato processors are currently operating at 50 per cent of their installed capacity.

“If farmers work in groups, they will be able to consolidate enough volumes for the processors, improve their production by purchasing farm inputs collectively, and have access to loans because there is a guarantee payment.”

Humphrey Mburu, the Managing Director at Sereni Fries in Nairobi, said they have an installed capacity of processing up to 15 tonnes of potatoes per day.

“But we are barely processing five tonnes because we have insufficient supply. Most of the potatoes in the market are not of good quality and variety.”

The consortium has engaged commercial potato seed producers to guarantee farmers quality seeds.

“In many cases, poor potato yields are due to use of bad seeds,” said Leah Kasera, the Head of Regional Operations and Partnerships, East and Southern Africa at Grow Africa.

“Our farmers produce just seven tonnes of potatoes from a hectare, which is much less that 20 to 30 tonnes that can be realised if they use quality seeds, recommended farm inputs and good farm management.”

MECHANISE THE INDUSTRY

Kimotho admitted that initially, he was recycling potatoes seeds but now through their group, they get better seeds.

Shangi is the popular variety in the country grown by more than 80 per cent of farmers, but according to processors, this is not what they really need as it is too watery and sugary for processing products such as French Fries and crisps.

“There are more than 50 different varieties of potatoes which farmers can grow as they target various processors,” said Kasera.

According to Miheso, there is need to mechanise the industry to avoid post-harvest losses, which are almost 30 per cent of all the national production.

So far, Kenya produces 2 million metric tonnes of potatoes, but 90 per cent is consumed at home, leaving the processing industry hungry.

The Potato Consortium, working with county governments, targets to reach 23,000 farmers in producing zones that include Nyandarua, Molo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Meru, Nyahururu, Bomet, Kinangop, Taita Hills, Yatta, Timboroa and parts of Laikipia.