Irish potato and maize farmers have warned of a likely decline in production as the prices of pesticides and fungicides continue to rise, forcing some to either scale down the size of their farms or reduce the amount of crop protection used. Maize and Irish potatoes are among the six priority crops targeted under the government’s Crop Intensification Program (CIP), which promotes land consolidation, mono-cropping, and commercialisation of key staple crops. ALSO READ: Maize farmers worry as fall armyworms build resistance against pesticides The other crops are wheat, rice, beans, and cassava. Maize production is projected to increase from 553,953 tonnes in 2023 to 874,337 tonnes by 2028–2029, while Irish potato output is also expected to rise, from 781,032 tonnes in 2023 to 1,498,545 tonnes over the same period, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. However, farmers think such targets may be hindered, at least in the short term, by the rising prices of pesticides. For instance, the farmers who spoke to The New Times said Dithane fungicide, which was costing Rwf90,000 for a 25kg pack in 2024, is now at around Rwf170,000. Thiodan Sprimatline pesticide, priced at Rwf50,000, now costs Rwf80,000, while Rocket pesticide rose from Rwf6,000 to Rwf12,000 per bottle. Ridomil fungicide, which was Rwf25,000 per kilo last year, is now Rwf60,000. ALSO READ: Rwandan farmers list seven issues hurting staple crops Felix Turimumahoro, President of the Irish Potato Farmers Association of Rwanda (IABIRWA), said he had been forced to scale down his farming activities due to the rising cost of inputs, particularly fungicides and pesticides. Turimumahoro always farms one hectare of his own land and rents an additional hectare to increase his yield, but now he says has abandoned the rented land. “From one tonne of seed, we get a harvest of between 14 and 20 tonnes per hectare. But with these rising costs, continuing to rent land is no longer viable,” he told The New Times. He said that one hectare of potatoes requires at least 100kg of Dithane fungicide, for example. With such, he noted that farmers are reducing the amount of fungicides and pesticides they use due to high costs, which could put their crops at risk, he said, calling for a subsidy on the inputs to address the challenges. ALSO READ: Farmers push for more subsidies on agric inputs Evariste Tugirinshuti, President of the Federation of Maize Farmers’ Cooperatives and a maize farmer himself, raised similar issues. “I farm on three hectares and use a total of at least three litres of Rocket pesticide per hectare applied in two rounds before harvesting. Last year, each litre was Rwf8,500, but it now sells for Rwf17,000.” Tugirinshuti said the situation is forcing many farmers to shift towards crops that require fewer inputs. “I have also reduced the size of my maize farm. Last year, I cultivated five hectares, including two rented plots. This year, I will stick to my own three hectares,” he said. Lawrence Mukamana, a farmer in the Gatore Sector of Kirehe District, said she cultivates two hectares, but this season she plans to allocate only half of them to maize. “Maize requires a lot of care and inputs, but with pesticide prices going up, it is no longer sustainable,” she noted.
