Potato News from Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Potato Micro-propagation Association (ZPMA) has spearheaded the resuscitation of seed potato production since this stalled around 2008. The current mandate is to substitute imported seed potato.

Patrick Makuzwa has approached the High Court seeking an order canceling his contract with Cairns Foods and for the food company to compensate him to the value of USD 46 789 50.

The prolonged Covid-19 lockdown has brought more harm to potato production that any other crop being produced in Zimbabwe at the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) Trek Antelope Estate in Maphisa, Matabeleland South.

The government of Zimbabwe, in conjunction with Kutsaga Research Station has embarked on a seed potato multiplication programme from mini-tuber to commercial seed potato.

According to reports from Zimbabwe, Pepsico is considering a snack plant (Chips and Snacks) in the region consisting of the countries Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana.

Hanawa Super Foods has contracted over 1 000 farmers to grow potatoes as it moves to cut imports, a company official said.

Zimbabwe has run out of potatoes for making potato chips, prompting potato chips manufacturer Hanawa Super Foods to request an import permit to buy potatoes from South Africa from the Industry and Commerce ministry.

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

Sack potato farming continues to make headway in Zimbabwe.

A revolutionarised way of growing potatoes in sacks is set to significantly transform the lives of women and the youth from Harare South in Zimbabwe who have embraced this method in a big way.

The horticulture industry of Zimbabwe is calling for higher import tariffs on imported horticulture products to avert the collapse of the local industry.

Beneficiaries of the land reform programme who are producing potato seed in Nyanga (Zimbabwe) have expressed concern over high costs of production. This, the farmers say, was making it difficult for resource-poor but interested farmers to break into t...

Most farmers in Zimbabwe are shunning potato farming owing to lack of knowledge on the crop. Potato production has been a preserve of former commercial farmers. Seed Potato Co-operation general manager Mr Cain Manzira said his organisation had realise...

Vegetable traders and vendors in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) are fuming over the ban on South African potatoes