Potato News from Africa

Drought and hot conditions since September 2015 have a negative impact on yields in almost all the potato production regions in South Africa. Currently market prices are at the highest levels ever, while potato stock levels are at record low levels.

In Uganda, a series of field trials began in 2015 to assess whether twelve highly resistant GM plants of the ‘Desiree’ and local ‘Victoria’ variety provided by the International Potato Center CIP offer a durable resistance to late blight

The Dutch Embassy in Kenya will next week launch the Potato Value Chain Africa website at the Eldoret Agri-Trade Fair, in a bid to support farmers in the country.

In the African country of Cameroon, the Delegate Minister of the Minister of Economy, Yaouba Abdoulaye, officially launched on 5th and 6th August 2015 two new agricultural plants or agropoles for the production, processing and sale of potatoes and pineapples respectively.

In Rwanda, a new potato wholesale market in the capital Kigali and collection centres in areas where potatoes are grown are part of a plan to modernize the value supply chain for the potato crop.

The Algerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abdelouahab Nouri, has announced a programme to tackle the problem of soaring potato prices, consisting in the adoption of a new marketing strategy to connect producers and consumers directly.

PepsiCo , Inc., affirmed its commitment to Egypt announcing plans for the company and its partners to invest U.S. $500 million in the country at the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC) in Sharm El-Sheikh.

The Cameroonian Ministry of Industry has just issued a call for tenders to hire a research firm to conduct a technical, institutional and financial study on behalf of the government to create a potato-processing project for Kumbo in the North-West region.

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF), a leading global creator of flavors and fragrances for consumer products, today announced the expansion of its flavors facility in Isando, South Africa.

The first production plant for French Fries in Uganda was commissioned last Friday and will provide opportunities for potato farmers in three countries: Uganda, Rwanda and Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kenya loses Sh19 billion annually due to poor production and processing of potatoes, a 2014 study has revealed.

The Nyandarua government is partnering with the National Potato Council and German organisation GTZ to introduce varieties of potatoes suitable for processing

Prices of Irish potatoes in Rwanda are likely to stabilise following a new agreement between farmers and City of Kigali traders to establish mutually beneficial cooperation.

Plans are underway to construct an Irish potato processing plant in Musanze District to cut down post-harvest losses, Tony Nsanganira, the State Minister for Agriculture, has said.

Rwanda potato farmers have decried the low farm-gate prices currently being offered by dealers.

Production of potatoes in sacks has proved to be a non-profitable venture with farmers registering zero to one kilogram per plant, according to Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president Mr Wonder Chabikwa

Potatoes and onions are commodities that are most frequently imported and consumed in Namibia.

Nakuru will test and release (late blight resistant) varieties of potato seeds for small-scale farmers, Agriculture executive Dr Stanley Chepkwony has said.