Kenya: Potato plan timely

Reports that two companies plan to buy potatoes worth Sh180 million from farmers every year are welcome. The companies say that they will sign contracts with the growers to supply 600 tonnes of potatoes worth Sh15 million every month. Potato farmers should embrace the deal and grab the chance to increase production. Processors have been rejecting some potato varieties, saying they are not suitable for making chips and crisps. A study shows that a Kenyan potato farmer produces five metric tonnes per acre on average , which is 11 times lower than what a farmer in the Netherlands harvests. More