The UK government has begun work on a US$18.5 million production facility for Irish and sweet potato processing in Elgeyo Marakwet county in Kenya. The processing plant will have a 60,000-tonne capacity and will process fresh and frozen Irish and sweet potatoes as Shivam Dwivedi reports for Krishi Jagran.
After completion, the factory will be the first in the country and the third in Africa to process Irish and sweet potatoes for the European market, following Egypt and South Africa.
The factory, according to Jane Marriot, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, will ensure stable farm prices for over 10,000 smallholder potato farmers in the county and region. She also stated that the facility will generate at least 5,000 direct jobs in its first year of operation, increasing to 10,000 jobs in five years.
Source: Krishi Jagran. Full story here
Photo: The British High Commissioner to Kenya says the facility will ensure stable farm prices for over 10,000 smallholder potato farmers in the county. Credit Krishi Jagran
