Potato production set to hit 2.5 million tons this year

Kenya’s potato production could hit 2.5 million tons in 2021, up from the estimated 2 million tons produced in 2020, according to industry officials. Wachira Kaguongo, CEO of National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK) has stated that both production and demand were affected last year due to the effects of the pandemic.

Kaguongo said that the bulk of the country’s production is cultivated under rain-fed conditions, leading to increased vulnerability to erratic weather conditions. He called for the prioritization of the crop, which is highly productive, as it can be harvested twice a year.

He stressed that Kenya has the potential to significantly increase its overall production of the crop but faces a myriad of challenges. According to NPCK, potato is the second staple crop after maize and it plays an important role in food security through the promotion of diversification of the Kenyan diet.

Source: africa.cgtn.com