Potato News from Africa

President Adam Barrow has lifted a ban on the import of onions and potatoes into the West-African country Gambia.

Cros Agro Allied Ltd, a Nigerian agribusiness company, has announced a commitment to invest $65 million in the country’s potato sector, which includes the realization of the production of French fries and potato flakes

South Africa’s competition watchdog (Competition Commission South Africa) has charged the Dutch seed potato breeder HZPC Holland B.V. and its exclusive South African distributor Wesgrow Potatoes for anti-competitve conduct for the exclusive supply of the variety Mondial.

A sorting and grading line for potatoes and onions in Algeria is one of the latest orders for R.G. Impianti, an Italian company which has been developing vegetable processing systems for over 30 years.

Situated in the Northeast of Tanzania, the district of Lushoto is part of the so called highlands of Tanzania where potatoes are traditionally grown. Due to heat and lack of resilient potato varieties, farmers would often lose all the crop.

Some 23,000 farmers in 13 potato-producing counties in Kenya have signed contracts with various potato processing companies in the country to buy the produce to supply enough food to consumers.

In a bid to increase yields of Irish potatoes production in Tanzania, Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzanians (SAGCOT) has introduced a new system where its growers are encouraged to use modern tilling tractors in its pilot study areas.

South African snacks manufacturer Nibbly Bits has reduced product giveaway by as much as 35% following the installation of an Ishida multihead weigher.

A bilateral trade deal between Scotland and Kenya opens up the Kenyan Potato market to the import of Scottish Seed potatoes

The price of potatoes in South Africa is expected to increase in the next four weeks – and there is a chance of even more hikes in December.

World Potato Congress (WPC) will be facilitating a roundtable for the private sector during the African Potato Congress in October, which will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In a sign of a maturing market, two potato processing companies in Kenya - Tropical Heat - a snack manufacturer - and Sereni Fries said they will sign contracts with growers to supply 600 tonnes of potatoes every month in order to assure their supply of potatoes suitable for processing.

Michael Agbogo, co-founder of Vicampro, disclosed that Nigerians consume about 120 tonnes of French fries daily, even as the whole of West Africa region lacks real food processors. According to him, 'Nigeria imports about $200 million worth of French fries annually'...

The administrative authorities of the Condé municipality, in the coastal Cuanza Sul province, are working to acquire potato seeds in order to increase the potato production in the region.

Algerian potato exporters are still having trouble at the border crossing Tebessa between Algeria and Tunisia. Tunisian customs do not allow trucks carrying tons of potatoes to enter Tunisia although all the legal procedures are completed.

The Nyandarua county Government (Kenya) has entered into a partnership with the German Government to help boost its potato production.

Members of the Namibian Potato and Onion Producers Association (Popa) recently met at Tsumeb to elect a new board.

Kenya is set to launch new varieties of potatoes that will boost quality and yield.