Potato farmers are counting losses, claiming that they are selling their produce at 'giveaway' prices, despite the cost remaining high on the market.
Farmers who talked to The New Times said they last experienced such low prices eight years ago.
"We are selling one kilogramme at between Rwf100 and Rwf120. I recall the same price in 2014. We are counting losses because we bought seeds at Rwf600 a kilogramme,” said Pierre Nsanzumuhire, a farmer from Musanze district, who, last week, sold six sacks of potato.
He said that besides the seeds, the price of fertilizers and agro-chemicals have also increased drastically.
The farmers have also requested government to extend subsidies on agro-chemicals and seeds that are often available at high prices to allow them make profits from the investment.
"The price of one kilogramme of fertilizers increased from Rwf713 to Rwf1,000 and a quantity of agro-chemicals we used to be buy at Rwf3,800 is now going for Rwf5,000. With all such required investment, a farmer needs at least Rwf200 price for one Kilogramme of the harvest,” he said.
Colette Nyirahabimana, a farmer from Rubavu district said that they are selling at Rwf110 per kilogramme of potato.
"We used to sell at Rwf250 in the past years. Decreasing to Rwf110 means a huge loss considering the cost it requires to invest in potato growing,” she said.
Representatives of farmers are saying the while farmers are getting lower prices; middlemen are making a lot of money from supplying potatoes to Kigali city and others markets.
A mini-survey by this paper has found that one kilogramme of potato in Kigali city is being sold at between Rwf280 and Rwf350.
This implies that there is a difference of over Rwf200 per Kilogramme considering what a farmer is getting.
Joseph Gafaranga, Secretary General of Rwanda Farmers Organization 'Imbaraga' told The New Times that the prices are unfair despite the good harvest.
"The price in the harvesting is lower compared to the other seasons in the recent years. Such price had never decreased in the last two years,” he said.
He said that there should e a special arrangement so that farmers harvest in different days to attract a fair price.
"What is hurting farmers is that middlemen are making profits alone. A farmer should get at least Rwf200 per Kilogramme of Irish Potato if you think of the investment it requires,” he said.
He said that according to calculations the supplier who buys potato from farmers should get Rwf25,000 per five tones or Rwf50,000 per 10 tonnes every day which is Rwf750,000 and Rwf1.5 million per 30 days respectively after deducting all expenses including transport, labour force and others.
However, he said middlemen are getting extra profits yet they do not give fair price to farmers.
"When a kilogramme was at Rwf200 to farmer, it was between Rwf300 and Rwf350 in Kigali. And now it is Rwf100 to farmer, the price remains Rwf350 in Kigali. Consumers in Kigali should at least also get it at lower price or if not, let farmers also get good price,” he said.
The New Times contacted the Ministry of Trade and Industry for a comment about the issue but had not yet responded by press time.
Meeting on Thursday
Gafaranga said that this week on Thursday, the organisation will hold a meeting with farmers, the ministry of trade and industry, agriculture ministry and others to discuss about the issue.
At least between Rwf150 tonnes and 550 tonnes of potatoes are supplied to Kigali every day.
Rwanda produces an average of 916,000 tonnes of potatoes every year, making it the third most popular food crop produced in the country.
Potatoes cover 3.9 per cent of the national total cultivated area.
The average productivity of potatoes is ten tonnes per hectare which is low as compared to yield potential.
The Northern volcanic region accounts for more than 80 percent of national potato production and 60 percent of the production are used directly for home consumption in this region.