Zimbabwe: Potato growers fed up with high cost of seeds
Published Jul 7, 2020
Tridge summary
A kilogramme of (Irish) potato seeds has increased to Rwf700 from between Rwf400 and Rwf500 in the last farming season which ended in February 2020, according to the Federation of Irish Potato farmers' cooperatives in Rwanda.
Original content
If a kilogramme of potato seeds is Rwf700, a farmer has to invest about Rwf1.4 million per a hectare because an estimated 2,000 kilogrammes (two tonnes) of the seeds are needed per a hectare, according to data from the Rwanda Agriculture Board. Yet, a kilogramme of potato produces [for consumption] is usually around Rwf200. Figures from the Seasonal Agricultural Survey - 2020 Season A by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda show that eight tonnes of potatoes were produced per hectare. That would make about Rwf1.6 million. If production costs including fertilizers, labor force, as well as pesticides and fungicides are factored in, too little is left for the farmer to benefit. Speaking to The New Times, Vincent Havugimana, the President of the Federation of Irish Potato farmers' cooperatives in Rwanda said that the shortage of potato seeds is a concern for farmers and it needs to be addressed. “There has been a shortage of potato seeds, with a kilogramme costing Rwf700 ...
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