Kagwe: Kenya aims to double potato output to six million tonnes
Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe says Kenya wants to raise potato production from three million to six million metric tonnes within three years. The sector already contributes $400 million (KSh 52 billion) to the economy, The Standard reported.
The government plans to double Kenya's potato harvest from three million to six million metric tonnes, Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe said. The extra output is meant to meet growing regional demand and supply exports. Kagwe spoke at the close of the Potato Congress in Naivasha, The Standard reported. Kagwe said the increase will come over the next three years. He named modern technology, better market access and improved variety value chains as the main tools. According to The Standard, Kenya is already one of the leading potato producers in sub-Saharan Africa and the leading consumer in East Africa. The CS said potatoes contribute $400 million (KSh 52 billion) to the economy. The crop employs 3.5 million people, directly and indirectly. Under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the government has designated potatoes a strategic food crop and a high-impact value chain. Kagwe said the State continues to provide subsidised inputs to farmers. More than 7.2 million farmers are now registered in…
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