Tolsma - Grisnich Group:
Modern storage for seed potatoes in Kenya
On the Kisima farm in Nanyuki, Kenya, at a height of 2500m, storage for seed potatoes has been created with a capacity of 1000 tons. Kisima is a large farm which produces ornamental plants and seedlings. The company is expanding production of seed potatoes to 100 ha and is committed to a production of 2,000 tons per year.
Tolsma Storage Technology delivered the apparatus for storage and installed two Quadro Compact Coolers. With the Quadro Compact Cooler, Kisima is able to ventilate the potatoes during storage and adjust the temperature up and down. These generation durable machines are popular for their energy efficient and quiet operation. The Quadro Compact Cooler has a robust and reliable design and a plug and play technology which makes the apparatus very suitable for transport overseas and its application in Kenya.
The seed from the Kisima farm is stored in wooden boxes per 1,2 ton. The climate is controlled by a computer, which regulates the humidity, air circulation and temperature. The control system can be monitored and controlled via the internet which means this can be done from the Dutch Head Office, with all the potato expertise on hand to give guidance to the Kenyan farmers and improve the quality of the storage. The storage bay in Kisima has been recently completed and the climate system has been fully installed. The conditioned storage of certified seed potatoes should be fully operational by late 2013.