Farmers appeal to FG to assist in quality potato production

The Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria, on Friday, appealed to the Federal Government to help in the production of quality potatoes to meet processing companies’ demands.
Personal Assistant to the National President of the association, Mr Godwin Nwezi, made the appeal in an interview with NAN in Lagos.
Besides, Nwezi urged the government to protect the farmers from the destruction of their farms by cattle owned by Fulani herdsmen.
He said that the challenges had prevented the farmers from developing a value chain and the sustaining a buy-back system.
The buy-back system is a form of contract farming which is organised, wherein the farmers grow selected crops under an arrangement with an agency involved in trading and processing.
Nwezi said that efforts by the association to partner with processing companies for the development of a value chain and a buy-back scheme had failed.
He said that a pharmaceutical company was ready to buy-back members’ produce because of the Vitamin A content in potato for the production of Vitamin A drugs.
“But the arrangement failed because we were unable to meet our own end of the bargain due to the poor quality of our produce.
“There are so many challenges that the potatoes farmers are facing presently, especially in the area of quality of produce which is hindering buy-back partnership with pharmaceutical companies.
“Also, the misinformation farmers had and the preservation techniques applied are not helping them,’’ he said.
Nwezi told NAN that the association had embarked on series of training to sensitise farmers on quality produce but that “we need assistance from the government in terms of quality produce”.
He said that the invasion of Fulani herdsmen on potato plantations in Abuja had led to a decline in potato production.
“Most of our farmers do not have enclosed farms; Fulani herdsmen always invade our farms.
“Since potatoes are tube crops and once the cows eat up the leaves, the tuber comes right out, automatically it becomes a waste.
“That is why over 70 per cent of potato farmers in Abuja hardly plant potatoes anymore. The leaves are very sweet to cows,’’ he said. (NAN)