Shangi potato farming in Kenya, popularity and advantages for maximum yield

If you are doubting, Potato farming in Kenya is one of the most profitable farming businesses in the country. Potato farming is primarily concentrated in the Highlands of Kiambu, Nakuru, and Uasin Gishu. It is also performed in Nyandarua, Nyeri, Westpokot, and Keiyo Marakwet. Potatoes are the second most important food crop, following maize.

Potato Uses and Reasons for populariry in Kenya

Urbanization will drive up demand for potato farmers. Potatoes are preferred because they are simple to prepare and inexpensive. This is especially true in fast food restaurants, where the middle class can purchase a potato meal for Shs 80 (USD 0.80).

Potatoes are not only used for cooking chips (French fries), but also in alcoholic beverages and as food for animals. Potatoes are also used in the industrial sector to make food thickeners and sauce adhesives.

Potatoes are also used in the textile industry for making boards and papers. Finally, animal feed manufacturers use potato stems and peelings to produce a nutritious blend of low-cost animal feeds. Potato farmers should avoid throwing away waste.
 

How to set up your potato farm

Before starting a potato farm, you must identify high-yielding varieties. For instance, the Sherekea variety yields 160 bags of potatoes per acre. Farmers can also use Kenya Mpya, which yields 140 bags per acre. The seed variety you select should be high-yielding, fast-maturing, and disease-resistant.

Potato farmers should also use good agricultural practices to prevent pests and diseases. Furthermore, good farming practices ensure that a farmer gives their farm the utmost care and attention, resulting in higher yields.

Farmers should understand land preparation and tuber spacing. Farrowing, integrated pest management practices, weeding, and entrepreneurial abilities. Entrepreneurship skills are important because they allow farmers to know when to sell potatoes to the market, at what price, and how to market them.

Timing the market is also important because it reduces the likelihood of selling your products at a loss. During the low season, a bag of potatoes can sell for as low as $5 (Ksh. 500). During the off-season, a bag of potatoes can sell for up to $30 (Kshs 3,000).

Potato farmers should be aware of crop diseases like bacterial wilt, powdery mildew, and black leg disease. It is also essential to understand potato storage.

Land and Site Preparation

Potatoes should be grown in climates with an annual rainfall of 850–1200mm. They also thrive in regions with altitudes ranging from 1400 to 3000 metres.

Avoid planting potatoes on the same plot of land in two consecutive seasons.

This is critical to reducing the likelihood of diseases attacking the farm. Farmers should also avoid growing potatoes on land where tomatoes have previously been planted. Before planting tubers, have a soil test performed by a reputable testing facility.

A soil test is essential because it will reveal the chemical composition of the soil. For example, a high pH level will destroy the tubers.

You will also have the opportunity to learn about the nutrients that are present or lacking on your farm. If you have an abundance of nitrogen, you will save money by not purchasing nitrogen fertilizer.
Similarly, a soil test can detect pathogens or pests in your soil.

How To Prepare Land For Potato Farming

The soil must be well cultivated, with a raised seedbed to ensure uniform and large potato tubers. Furthermore, organic matter in the soil that does not decompose quickly must be removed. This is because they could attract pests. You should make sure the land is plowed at least 20 cm deep and there are no soil clods.
You can purchase certified seed varieties from certified producers across the country. The National Potato Council of Kenya website provides contact information for certified potato seed producers. This produces certified varieties, such as:

• Shangi
• Sherekea
• Wanjiku
• Mavuno
• Arka
• Tigoni
• Nica
• Dutch Robin
• Chulu
• Sagitta

Good quality seeds are essential for reducing diseases and increasing yields. The seed variety you choose should be based on market demand and location.

Potato planting

It is best to plant the seeds at the start of the rains. Plant in farrows. The plants should also be grown 30 cm apart, sprouts facing up.

The furrow depth should be between 8 and 12 cm, with a tuber population of 18,000 per acre. The spacing allows you to easily scout for pests and diseases, harvest crops, and spray the farm. It is also important to plant them in 25 cm-high ridges to make harvesting easier. Additionally, the tubers have room to expand.

Potato fertilizer application
 

The best fertilizer for potatoes is one that meets their specific needs, as determined by an agronomist following a soil test. In general, potatoes require a variety of nutrients to thrive. Potatoes, for example, require nitrogen to grow and potassium to protect the tubers from disease.

Potatoes will also need calcium and sulfur. Calcium strengthens the cell walls, making the plant more resistant to disease. Sulfur is necessary because it generates amino acids and methionine, which boosts yield.

When using organic fertilizer, you can use Sarfi Sarvi, Safi foliar, or Safi Biochar. Safi biochar helps the soil retain nutrients and prevents erosion.

If you have a water problem, use Safi biochar because it traps moisture and keeps it from evaporating.


Inorganic Fertilizers

If you are using inorganic fertilizer, the best options are diammonium phosphate and calcium ammonium nitrate. Diammonium phosphate should be applied at a rate of 500 kg/ha. The recommended ratio for these fertilizers is 18:46:20.

Calcium ammonium nitrate should be applied as a top dresser at a rate of 300 kg per hectare. If your farm is acidic, apply lime to neutralize the acid. In addition, 500 kilograms of triple superphosphate should be used per hectare. Farmers should use this if their farm is deficient in phosphates.

If the form is potassium deficient, apply 50 kg/hectare of Muriate of Potash.

Potato farmers should ensure that the fertilizer is evenly distributed throughout the farm. If one fertilizer is used more than the other, the yield will be reduced. For example, heavy nitrogen fertilization will promote the growth of excess foliage, delaying tuber growth.

Managing potatoes on the farm

One way to manage potatoes on the farm is to begin weeding at least two weeks after planting. Failure to weed may result in a poor yield. The weeds will compete for nutrients and moisture with the potato tubers. Weeding can be done manually or with the use of herbicides.

Farmers should test the herbicide they use on a small area before applying it to the entire farm.
 

An agricultural expert should advise on the optimal application method.

Water management and potato riddling

To ensure a good harvest, keep the potatoes in good soil moisture throughout the growing season. The required amount of water is approximately 400mm - 800mm. Mulching around plants is one way to conserve water. The farmer should take care not to under- or over-irrigate the tubers, as this can result in cracks and abnormal growth.

Potatoes should receive adequate water during the flowering stage to avoid misshapen tubers. If you are irrigating the farm, do so early in the morning to avoid evaporation throughout the day. Farmers should avoid using furrow irrigation because it dampens the soil and attracts diseases. Instead, farmers use drip irrigation or sprinklers.

Ridging is the process of adding soil to a crop bed to increase its height. This is important because it reduces tuber greening and improves soil aeration. Ridging should be done along the rows and while weeding.

The ridge should be about 25 cm tall, and the process should not be done while the soil is wet. This is because it can lead to the spread of fungal diseases like late blight disease.


Potato farming profit per acre

Potato profit per acre ranges between Kshs 90,000 and 200,000. It is impossible to estimate the actual profit per acre because there are so many variables at play. Variety is a major factor that influences profit per acre.
 

For example, planting the Arizona variety yields an average of 16 tonnes per acre.

However, planting the Shangi potato variety will result in an average yield of 30 - 40 tons per acre. Another factor that influences potato profit per acre is the planting season. Farmers must time the market so that when they harvest, there is no surplus of potatoes in the market.

Finally, the farmer's profit will be determined by how well they maintain their farm and manage post-harvest losses. There are several potato varieties on the market. However, we will only cover the most popular.


Potato varieties in Kenya.

The type of potato variety planted should be determined by its intended use. If you're planting potatoes as Crips, choose a variety with long tuber dormancy, shallow eyes, and no sprouts. Sherehekea, Royal, and the Dutch Robijin potato varieties are ideal for making crisps.

If the farmer wants to plant potatoes for chips, he should choose yellow-skinned potatoes. This is due to their high starch content, which results in a dry yet soft texture. Shangi, Laura, and Challenger are potato varieties suitable for chip making.

Similarly, potatoes suitable for smashing should be high in starch to produce a fluffy, smooth texture when cooked.

Potato varieties suitable for smashing include Chuluy, Annet, and Jelly.

Shangi Potato Farming in Kenya

Shangi potatoes are among the most popular varieties in the country due to their marketability and high yields. Shangi potatoes have an estimated yield of 30-40 tonnes. If we assume that the farmer can handle post-harvest losses and that the timing is correct, the gross income from Shangi potato farming will be between $250,000 and $300,000 per acre.

Shangi's estimated potato farming costs are as follows:

• Production costs: 46.500
• Land preparation: 11,500
• Fertilizer: 25,000
• Fungicides and insecticides: 27,000
• Crop Management: 21,000

The estimated production cost is approximately 131,000, which can vary depending on various factors. For instance, including insurance costs can increase the expenses, as can leasing land in urban areas. Considering these costs, the anticipated profit from potato farming per acre is around 130,000.

When discussing potato farming, it's crucial to address the diseases that can affect potatoes and methods to control them. Diseases contribute to over 40% of potato losses on farms, sometimes reaching as high as 100%.

To manage diseases, farmers must regularly monitor their farms and conduct soil tests before planting tubers. If diseased plants are spotted, they should be uprooted and destroyed to prevent further spread. It's essential to avoid feeding infected plants to animals, as this can reintroduce the infection to the farm through manure. Below are some major potato diseases affecting farmers in Kenya.

Late Blight Disease: Late blight is a rapidly spreading disease that can devastate crop yields if not addressed promptly, especially during the long rainy season. Water-soaked lesions on foliage indicate late blight disease, which turns black when wet and brown when dry. White moldy growth on the underside of leaves is also a sign. If not controlled, the disease can progress from leaves to tubers.

To control late blight, farmers should use fungicides based on agricultural officer recommendations. Spraying should occur when plants are at least 10 cm tall, focusing on the underside of leaves.

Early Blight Disease: Early blight affects potatoes towards the end of the growing season, characterized by dark brown spots on leaves that enlarge in damp conditions. It spreads via air or irrigation, defoliating foliage if left unchecked. During the dry season, only the lower leaf portion is affected due to irrigation.

Control measures for early blight include crop rotation, using disease-resistant varieties, rouging, sanitation, and chemical treatments.

Bacterial Wilt: Bacterial wilt affects various plant species, including potatoes, and spreads through infected seed tubers, contaminated water, or infected farm equipment. It causes wilting and death of leaves despite adequate moisture.

Integrated disease management practices are recommended for bacterial wilt control, including planting healthy seeds, using resistant varieties, and crop rotation.

Black Scurf: Black scurf primarily affects potatoes planted near uncomposted organic matter, causing stunted growth, fungal growth at stalk bases, and deformed small tubers. Mature tubers develop black specks (sclerotia) that fall off when rubbed.

Control measures for black scurf involve crop rotation, using certified seeds, treating seeds before sprouting, and avoiding waterlogged soil.

Blackleg and Soft Rot: Blackleg affects potato plants, while soft rot affects tubers, especially in moist conditions. Infected leaves turn yellow, roll upwards, and wilt, while tubers may rot, reducing yields.

Control methods for blackleg and soft rot include fungicides, certified seed varieties, careful weeding, proper spacing, and avoiding furrow irrigation.

Mosaic Virus: The mosaic virus, transmitted by pests like aphids, can significantly impact yields if not controlled. Symptoms include crinkled, shiny leaves and stunted growth.

Controlling mosaic virus involves using high-quality seeds and removing affected plants.

Pests and Insects: Potato pests like potato tuber moth, leaf-eating caterpillars, beetles, aphids, and spider mites can cause post-harvest losses and spread diseases.

Control methods include using insecticides and proper field sanitation, such as waste management and rouging. Protective clothing should be worn while applying pesticides, and pre-sprouting can accelerate tuber growth.

Cutworms, which feed on plants and damage stems, can be controlled with insecticides after detecting signs of infestation.

The potato tuber moth attacks potatoes in the field and storage, creating burrows that expose plants to bacteria and viruses.

Storage of Potato after harvesting

Proper storage minimizes post-harvest losses. You can choose between local storage and cheap indigenous storage techniques. Farmers who use sophisticated cold storage facilities can keep potato tubers fresh for more than a year. A suitable storage room should be dark and have temperatures of 4°C.