The Ministry of Trade and Industry (Minicom) has announced new prices for potatoes, a staple food in Rwanda. Minicoms intervention, announced on Thursday November 11, came days after potato farmers complained about low prices at which they were obliged to give their produce and yet middlemen were making more profits. The directive, which details potato prices for the agricultural season 2022 A, took effect on Friday. Some farmers had earlier told The New Times that they were counting losses at the hands of middlemen who would buy their produce at giveaway prices ranging between Rwf100 and Rwf120 per kilogram. The New Times found that in Kigali City, a major potato market, middlemen would end up selling one kilo at between Rwf280 and Rwf350, making a profit of more than 100 percent. According to the ministry, starting Friday, farmers would sell one kilogram at between Rwf155 and Rwf225 per kilo, depending on the kind of potatoes. For the Kinigi type, farm price will be Rwf225 per kilo; Kirundo will sell at Rwf185; Kuruseke will sell at Rwf180; Rwangume/Rwashaki at Rwf165; Nyirakarayi at Rwf165; and Peko at Rwf155. At Nzove, where potato production from the Northern and Western Provinces is collected before entering Kigali City, one kilogram will sell at between Rwf185 and Rwf255, depending on the kind. For the end user in Kigali, one kilogram of potatoes will be bought at between Rwf230 and 300. At least between 150 tonnes and 550 tonnes of potatoes are supplied to Kigali every day. The ministrys announcement also gave directives about potato transportation practices, which will be enforced by local government leaders, agricultural authorities and security services. 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 lower than yield potential. The northwestern volcanic region accounts for more than 80 percent of national potato production and 60 percent of the production is used directly for home consumption in this region.
