People at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) are working to produce more resilient potato varieties that will produce higher yields so as to cater for the country's processing industry’s needs. Dr luma Kayeke, the national potato crop research coordinator said that as the country is struggling to industrialise its economy, production of quality potato seedlings was investable.
According to Kayeke, a number of investors have embarked on potato processing but the challenge remains in the availability of enough raw materials: "We have seen the gap in the availability of enough potatoes, this is why TARI researchers decided to invest their knowledge to come out with varieties of potato seeds to feed the country's processing industries as well those that will be opened in the coming years.”
Kayeke noted that currently, farmers harvest 10 tonnes of potatoes per hectares but with then seeds, a farmer can be able to harvest up to 40 tonnes of the produce per hectare. "We have started educating farmers on the new seeds and their importance...we also established trial farms as well as exhibitions in villages."
A laboratory technician of the crop, Emmanuel Mwampate said that if the team will get more equipment, will be able to produce up to 60 tonnes of potato seeds per year and supply them to farmers in various areas. According to him, the new seeds have high resilience of diseases and various infections making them strong from planting to harvesting.
Source: ippmedia.com
