Tanzania: Mbeya to Have 10 Billion/ - Irish Potato Centre

Irish potato

Irish potato growers in Tanzania stand to benefit as construction of Irish potato development centre in Mbeya Region which is expected to boost yields is set to begin this year.

According to the Project Manager, Frank Wijnands, the construction work of the 8.8bn/- (4.0 million US dollars) project is co-financed by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and a group of nine companies that are active in the potato industry.

The Irish potato centre is expected to support every phase of the potato value chain from production and storage to processing to marketing. Mr Wijnands, of Wageningen University & Research, said some of the companies are seed-potato growers whilst others supply cool stores or crop protection.

Jan-Willem Sepers of Europlant, one of the co-investors in the centre, praised Tanzania as a politically stable country, saying some of the areas are very suitable for potatoes.

Tanzanian farmers often harvest between 7.0 and 8.0 tonnes per hectare, well be low the 30 tonnes that could be reached with high-quality seed-potatoes and improved farming techniques.

The Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Mr Mathew Mtigumwe, said the centre will have great impact on research and training. "With this great initiative, the potato business can finally take off," Mr Mtigumwe said.

The Netherlands is presumed to be the world leader in the potato sector, with Dutch seed potatoes accounting for 60 per cent of worldwide potato production. While over 500 different varieties of potato are grown in The Netherlands, in Tanzania only four varieties are used.

The centre agreement was signed in The Hague last month by representatives of the Tanzanian and Dutch governments. Tanzania was represented by Ambassador Irene Kasyanju, the Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Mr Mathew Mtigumwe and the SAGCOT Chief Executive Officer, Mr GeofExecutive Officer, Mr GeofExecutive Officer, Mr Geof frey Kirenga.