Potato growers in the Molo area of Kenya say the tuber has been invaded by bacterial wilt, which has reduced production. They also lament the lack of a cold storage facility for the vegetables, which leads to wasted crops, low prices and opens farmers up to exploitation by middlemen. The various challenges have seen potato acreage in Rift Valley province fall from 41,425 hectares 2005 to 39,019 hectares last year. Total potato earnings in Kenya increased by eight per cent and more growth is expected this year.
But in Molo, farmers experienced low yields due to the wilt disease, a problem exacerbated by the use of low cost non-certified seeds. Certified seeds are sold by Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) cold storage facility. After the collapse of the Kenya Farmer's Association,previously the main sales point for certified potato seeds,many farmers turned to non-certified seeds from other growers.
Tom Sang, ADC cold store's manager, acknowledges that the 22-year-old store faces inadequate supply of quality seeds. The few certified seeds the store gets from Kenya Agricultural Research Institute are propagated and made available to producers. The facility produced 4000 bags of certified seeds last year, half of which were sold to farmers in Kericho, Bomet, Nandi and Molo districts.
The ADC also engages in other activities to improve potato growers' situation, such as hiring out tractors at reduced prices. Sang said just like cereal farmers, potato growers need a storage facility for their produce. "Potatoes can last up to 6 months in a cold storage facility," he said. "Area producers have called on the government to build such a facility. They say they are forced to sell the fresh produce at throwaway prices to prevent spoilage, and to middlemen who buy at cheaper prices directly from the farms.
The Government has cracked down on middlemen who flout laws regulating the potato trade.Farmers are being encouraged to form marketing federations to deal with the issue of exploitation. Already, farmers in Uasin Gishu, Nakuru and Londiani districts have formed marketing federations.
In line with the ministry prediction of higher potato production this year, ADC seed facility has renovated its 17 cold rooms in preparation for supplying farmers with more seeds. The facility's assistant manager, Samuel Mwangi, said the ADC facility is currently not being used to capacity as one cold room can store up to 3,000 bags. The managers have increased the land under seed production and recruited more outgrowers to supply quality seeds. Two of the 17 cold rooms are
also being converted to tissue culture labs to supplement what it receives from KARI.
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