Irish potato farmers count losses as prices drop #rwanda

Irish potato farmers have decried the low farm-gate prices
currently being offered by dealers. The farmers say a
kilogramme of Irish potatoes is at between Rwf70 and
Rwf100; barely a third of the price at which they bought
seeds.
Farmers in Musanze, Burera, Nyabihu and Rubavu districts
told The New Times that they bought seeds at up to Rwf400
per kilo.
"Retailers from Kigali are currently buying the crop at
between Rwf70 and Rwf100 compared to Rwf120 in August,"
Tuyizere Innocent, a farmer in Shingiro sector, Musanze
District, said.
A kilo of Irish potatoes is currently at between Rwf150 and
Rwf170 in Kigali markets compared to Rwf250 and Rwf300
three months ago.
Tuyizere said besides the seeds, farmers bought fertilisers
at Rwf650 per kilo. He added that the price of fertilisers has
gone up from between Rwf320 and Rwf400 a kilo to Rwf650
in the past one year.
He said farmers like him who invested a lot of money in the
crop could lose their investment, adding that farmers should
at least be paid Rwf150 per kilo so farmers can earn some
profit.
"I leased one-tenth of a hectare (isolo) at Rwf40,000 per
season, bought four sacks of seeds worth Rwf150,000 and
applied 100kg of fertilisers worth Rwf55,000, plus other
costs. But I fear that I will not be able to recoup all the
money I invested in... I won't even get Rwf250,000 from the
two and half tonnes of Irish potatoes I have harvested if I
sell at Rwf90 a kilo," lamented Tuyizere.
Pascal Twizerimana, an agronomist with Imbaraga Farmers
Association in Musanze District, attributed the low prices to
oversupply, saying it is currently a harvesting season for
Irish potatoes.
Theogene Nzabanita, a farmer in Kinigi sector, said most
small farmers are forced to sell all their produce at
giveaway prices to cater for their families' needs and pay
school fees for their children.
Theophile Ndacyayisenga, the in charge of research of Irish
potatoes production at the Rwanda Agriculture Board (Rab),
advised farmers to form groups so they can be able to
market produce collectively and get better prices. He noted
that when they are in groups they can also be able to build
storage facilities to store the produce until there are better
prices on the market.
Ndacyayisenga, however, said they are sensitising farmers
on how they can guard against price fluctuations to earn
better from their efforts.
He said the government gives farmers a fertiliser subsidy,
where they buy each kilogramme at Rwf550 instead of
Rwf650 on the open market as part of efforts to increase
crop production in the country.
However, this support does not apply to seeds.
Agriculture ministry officials are hopeful that farmers will be
able to get a steady market and better prices when the
potato processing plant being set up in Musanze District
starts operations by June next year.
business@newtimes.co.rw