The Sunday Mail
Word from the market with AMA
Last year, this column carried an instalment titled; Why potato crop is of commercial importance (https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/why-potato-crop-is-of-commercial-importance). The article highlighted the exponential increase in production as a reflection of the continual growth in local consumption of the crop. This was after the government declared potato as one of the strategic crops to enhance food security at household and national levels.
As a way of consolidating gains made in the potato sub-sector, the Government last week launched the Potato value chain financing facility to drive increased production.
This is meant to help de-congest the consumption of maize and promote other starch alternatives. Furthermore, the facility will enhance potato farming’s contribution to nation food security.
The facility, being administered by the AFC bank is targeting to support 3000 hectares of table and seed production. A total of $ 1,5 billion is being earmarked for disbursement to eligible farmers. Input costs has been cited as one of the major barriers to entry into potato production. Already, farmers have received $700 million from the facility to venture into production. One beneficiary farmer in Norton has already planted 35 hectares under irrigation.
One of the conditions for eligibility is that the farmer should secure an off-take agreement with a buyer.
The initiative is part of broader efforts by the Government to crowd in the participation of the private sector. Indeed, the policy environment currently subsisting in the country has allowed the private sector to thrive.
This is further demonstrated by the role the sector has played in reviving production levels.
Already, players under the ambit of Food Crop Contractors Association (FCCA) have committed to increasing funding support towards agriculture to drive production. The main crops FCCA has targeted are maize, wheat and soya.
The Government has already been at the forefront of creating enabling environment for private sector financing up to 40 percent of their annual raw material requirements.
The Government/AFC financing model can be replicated across other value chains. Firms such as Surface Wilmer are already involved in financing production of Castor Bean targeting various farmers across the country. Several other contracting companies are targeting expansion of hectarage they contract.
As 65 percent of industrial raw materials come from agriculture, it is, therefore, necessary for firms to ringfence their production requirements.
Why potato sub-sector grew
Growth in local potato production was supported by the availability of high-quality certified seed.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development allowed supervised importation of certified potato seed by seed houses to complement local seed production.
The first substantial seed imports took place in 2012.
This attracted foreign breeders who started to engage local seed houses to register their varieties with Seed Services Institute. Consequently, in the last 11 years, various seed houses registered a total of 17 high-yielding, table, chipping and crisping potato varieties after going through the necessary adaptability trials.
As a result, national average yields have grown from about 15 MT per ha in 2010 to about 24.7Mt/Ha by 2017. Most varieties take between 90 – 120 days to mature. Average yields range from 17-20t/ha with some varieties getting up to 40t/ha.
Potato grows well in deep, well-drained, and friable soils are required for potato production.
The availability of good rainfall and irrigation is important in determining yield and quality. With a good water supply, farmers can grow potatoes three times a year.
As for temperatures potatoes grow well between 7◦C -21◦ C. Extremes of temperature can affect tuber initiation and growth. Planting times vary considerably in different regions depending on local weather conditions, cultivar and intended market.
However, in Zimbabwe, plantings commence in November.
