NCPK plans on increasing potato production in Kenya

The National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK) current goal is to ramp up national potato production to 2.5 million tonnes per year.

However, with current production of about 7 tonnes per hectare, way below the projected potential of about 30 tonnes per hectare, considerable efforts from public and private stakeholders are vital to establish the potato industry as a competitive and profitable food crop.

The NCPK’s current CEO, Wachira Kaguango, attributes the limited productivity to a number of factors, including a limited supply of quality seed, poor farming methods and incorrect farm input.

“We’ve been having a lot of shortage in terms of seed production and use, having less than 5% of farmers using certified high quality seed… ” Kanguango explained.

Kanguango also explained that the choice of potato species has a role to play in currently low productivity.

Majority of the potatoes farmers grow in Kenya today are of the Shangi kind, which has limited storage shelf life, before it starts to sprout. 

Kaguongo: Fake seeds and substandard inputs has been with us for long. We work closely with KEPHIS to make sure that certified seeds are guarded, avoid aldulteration. #InsideGovernment ^CM @obrienkimani @StanleyWabomba @Aaoko_76 @R_Owili @kilimoKE @k_wawira pic.twitter.com/bM62RHk63e

— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) February 18, 2022

Low postharvest returns are also a major challenge for farmers, who are forced to sell their potatoes at throwaway prices to compete with other farmers. Currently, a 50kg bag of potatoes can retail for as low as Kshs 500.

“The main reason why farmers sell at low prices is that they all harvest at the same time, they need money, and a majority of them depend on rain…” said Kanguongo

Kanguongo presented a set of solutions proposed by the NCPK that have the potential to significantly increase the productivity of the more than 150,000 hectares used for potato cultivation in Kenya today.

These include the development of cold storage facilities around the country to allow farmers to sell even off season at a fairer price.  This is coupled with the supply of alternative potato varieties to farmers that can last longer in cold storage. 

“Government is supporting farmers to have cold stores. Have one in Meru currently in progress, and another in Nyandarua…” said Kanguongo.

The NCPK is also actively lobbying the government in order to provide policy, budgetary and institutional support to Kenya’s potato farmers. This includes lobbying the National Treasury for reform of the tax regime on potato farm inputs such as fertilizers and seed.

Potato Council of Kenya CEO Wachira Kaguongo on increasing production of potatoes in the country #InsideGovernment ^CM @obrienkimani @StanleyWabomba @R_Owili @Aaoko_76 pic.twitter.com/XV4DvwzVbw

— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) February 18, 2022

The NCPK’s National Potato strategy for 2016- 2020 saw the introduction of The Crops (Irish Potato) Regulations, 2019 as a legal framework to further regulate the potato industry as well as the addition of the potato industry.

Their current strategy, for the period of 2021 to 2025, focuses on post-harvest management, value addition, enhanced import, export and trade as well as enhanced use of data management tools and increased participation of youths and women in potato value chain businesses, among other objectives.

Also read: https://www.kbc.co.ke/government-subsidizes-the-cost-of-high-quality-potato-seeds/