Irish potato farmers in Meru have been urged to group themselves to effectively use the 500 tonne cold storage facility commissioned by President William Ruto.
The facility in Ngusishi in Buuri West subcounty is expected to end potato farmers' exploitation by brokers, who buy the produce at a throw away price.
The Sh100 million facility also hopes to boost potato production and cut post-harvest losses.
“The Ngusishi Potato Cold Storage will support 35,000 farmers and increase farmers’ earnings,” Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said.
It was built by Micro and Small Enterprises Authority.
MSEA is building two more cold storage facilities targeting Irish potato and banana farmers in Nyandarua and Kisii counties.
The company intends to facilitate value addition targeting agricultural produce across the country.
Currently, farmers lose more than 30 per cent of their potatoes after harvest.
The cold storage will be accessed by farmers through cooperatives, which can also attract other partners to provide inputs, finances and extension services.
Meru County Integrated Development Plan 2018-2022 says the county produced 196,434 tonnes of potatoes valued at more than Sh5 billion.
It also says the farmers lose more than Sh1.8 billion every year due to lack of cold storage facilities.
The government has enforced the 50kg packaging provision by the Crops (Irish Potatoes) Regulations 2019.
According to the Agriculture and Food Authority, anyone found transporting potatoes packaged in more than 50kgs bags is likely to be fined Sh500,000 or a three-month jail term.
