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Namibia: Input Costs Hamper Potato Production
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New Era (Windhoek)
19 May 2008
Posted to the web 19 May 2008
Wezi Tjaronda
Windhoek
At a time when the world is banking on the potato as a high nutrient crop that can help vulnerable consumers evade the current high food prices, high production costs per hectare in Namibia remain the biggest limiting factor.
Although production has increased a hundred fold from 2006 to last year, prospects for 2008 do not look so good. The Namibia Agronomic Board estimates that the first harvest yielded 5412 tonnes, down from 8 800 tonnes last year.
Horticulture Officer at the Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB) Namene Kalili said the yields were significantly less this year.
The high costs of production have already seen some producers leave the industry.
"Some haven't replanted after making losses," said Kalili, citing a farmer in Mariental. There are only five farmers growing potatoes this year compared to seven last year.
High fertiliser and diesel prices, spare parts and chemicals have all increased production costs by 25 percent, said Vilho Nghipondoka, General Manager of Etunda, which has put 30 hectares under potato production this year.
The country has the potential to produce much more to become self-sufficient, said Nghipondoka who is also NAB vice chairman and chairman of the National Horticulture Initiative.
An average Namibian consumes 1kg of potatoes a month, which translates to about 2000 tonnes of potatoes for the whole country in a month. Among the horticulture products that Namibians consume, potatoes come first.
"The demand is high, potatoes are among Namibia's favourites. It is like a staple food," said Nghipondoka.
The United Nations has declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato, which aims at raising awareness on the role played by the potato in agriculture, food security and the economy.
With the world population growing by 100 million in the next 20 years, forecasts indicate that 95 percent of the increase will take place in developing countries where pressure on land and water is already intense.
The UN says potatoes should be a major component in strategies aimed at providing nutritious food for the poor and hungry, more so because it is suited to places where land is limited and labour is abundant, which characterise most developing countries.
To become self-sufficient in potatoes, Namibian farmers will have to capitalise on the yield per hectare by applying appropriate technologies in potato production such as proper management and calculating the proper amount of water during irrigation.
"We have the opportunity to produce more than we consume. If you put 100 hectares under potato production at yields of 40 tonnes per hectare and take into account our population and the percentage of potatoes in our food basket, we would come to self-sufficiency if projects are seriously working on it," Nghipondoka added.
Kalili said as much as Namibia wants to be self-sufficient in potato production, climatic factors and the number of times potatoes are harvested should be taken into consideration. It takes four to five months to harvest potatoes here and another five to six months before farmers can sell their produce.
The board does not offer any incentives for farmers to get into the industry but has budgeted for a training component this year to train producers in general about farming, from production to marketing.
At the same time, the board hopes to get Potato South Africa on board to train its farmers, a scheme it has already started with Angolan farmers.
Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, protein, amino acids, vitamin C and potassium.
Although potato consumption in developing countries is still less than a quarter of that in Europe, experts suggest it will increase strongly in the future.
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Africa's top producers are Egypt, Algeria, Malawi, South Africa, Morocco, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.
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