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State in fresh drive to enforce 50-kg Irish potato bag rules
The Government has affirmed its commitment to implement the Irish Potato Regulations 2019 that compel traders to package the crop in 50-kilogram bags.
The State Department for Agriculture and Livestock has warned that those who contravene the rules will be prosecuted and risk being fined Sh500,000 or will be jailed for a year.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr Paul Ronoh stated that enforcement of the regulations had been designed to protect farmers from unscrupulous traders.
Addressing potato farmers at Nyota Ward within Kuresoi North Sub-County, Dr Ronoh declared that the maximum weight of a single unit of package of Irish potatoes must be 50kg.
He indicated that growers and dealers of Irish potatoes must use a weighing scale that has been properly calibrated, serviced, inspected and approved by the Ministry for the time being responsible for trade at the time.
The regulations are aimed at cushioning the farmer from unscrupulous traders who buy potatoes cheaply in the extended bags commonly known as ‘dusura’ and then go to the market and repackage them into smaller units, from which they make a killing when they sell.
Despite the Crop (Irish Potato) Regulations 2019 rules requiring that potatoes be packed in 50kg bags, middlemen take advantage of the glut and exploit farmers by forcing them to pack the produce in 100-180kg bags for almost the same price as the 50kg bag.
“We are particularly keen on implementing the 50kg rule to ensure unscrupulous brokers don’t continue exploiting farmers by continued use of the excessive packaging techniques famously called Dusura.
Previously, potato packaging had no definite weight, thereby exposing farmers to exploitation and blackmail from unscrupulous dealers,” he said.
The Principal Secretary, who was flanked by Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Dr Bruno Linyiru and Nakuru Deputy Governor Mr David Kones, noted that the enforcement is expected to help reclaim up to 50 percent of farmer earnings currently lost due to inefficient packaging practices.
He highlighted the plight of farmers who have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous dealers, underscoring the government’s commitment to protect their interests.
“Strict adherence to these regulations is crucial for empowering farmers and ensuring they receive fair returns for their labour. Brokers are the major obstacle to adherence to the law, as they ask farmers not to package the farm produce as required. We will safeguard both farmers and traders,” vowed Dr Ronoh.
The Principal Secretary further pledged that the national government will construct a cold storage facility in Kuresoi North Sub-County. The facility, he added, is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, a major challenge for potato farmers.
Nakuru is the second largest producer of the crop in Kenya, with the county accounting for 18.9 percent of national production.
The top potato-producing counties are Nyandarua (29.8 per cent) and Elgeyo Marakwet (16.2 per cent). Other potato-producing regions include Makueni, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Samburu, Kajiado and Kwale.
In Nakuru, there are about 20,000 farmers growing potatoes on more than 38,000 acres of land, with a total production of 160,000 tonnes of assorted varieties being grown, with Shangi dominating.
Despite the government standardizing the packaging of farm produce at 50kg, brokers have not adhered to the rule. Counties have consistently failed to implement the policy over the years.
“It is the same story in the entire region: exploitation, huge investments and losses by the farmers but huge profits raked in by middlemen who control the markets,” said Samuel Kihiu, a potato farmer in Kuresoi North.
The Principal Secretary said the national government will work with devolved units to ensure that the Irish Potato Regulations 2019 are fully implemented.
The State Department for Agriculture and Livestock and county governments, he said, want farmers to get returns from their work without being exploited by unscrupulous traders.
“Our focus is to ensure that farmers are not exploited and get value for money,” he said.
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has so far trained more than 300 crop inspectors to help in the crackdown against those found violating Chapter 16 of the Crops Act, which banned packaging the produce in extended bags.
“Key in the implementation process is to ensure packaging in the required standard of 50 kilograms. The enforcement will be executed in the entire value chain from the farm to the markets,” Dr Linyiru.
He stated that they had sensitized stakeholders on the regulations and they expect that value chain players will comply with the regulations by reversing the past scenario where potatoes were usually weighed in 110-kilogram bags, subjecting farmers to huge losses.
Standardization issues started long before the creation of the AFA, with bylaws that were adopted by defunct municipal and county councils through the legal notice No 113 of 2008, following 2005 standardization policy set a Sh2,000 fine or a term not exceeding six months’ imprisonment.
The law required officers in charge of markets to block entry of the produce for sale in the extended bags.
Dr Linyiru pointed out that enforcement officers have instructions to monitor production, dealing, weighing, handling and processing to ensure compliance.
“The enforcement officers are expected to ensure farmers, vendors and transporters adhere to the 50-kilogram packaging rule. They are required to work within the law and with due diligence to help restore sanity in the industry,” he indicated.
For a long time, brokers opted for exploitative packaging and then bought a general price without considering its weight.
In Nakuru potatoes are grown in agriculturally rich areas of Molo, Subukia, Kuresoi South, Kuresoi North, Mau Narok and Njoro.
Irish Potato Regulations 2019 allow inspectors in potato-growing counties to seize and detain Irish potatoes packaged or transported in a manner that does not conform to the regulations at the cost of the offender.
According to the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), there are about 200,000 farmers growing potatoes in Nakuru on more than 38,000 acres of land with a total of 160,000 tonnes.
NPCK states that in the country the crop is cultivated by over 800,000 farmers with a total production ranging from 1 to 1.4 million tonnes worth between Sh30 to 40 billion per year.
Small-scale farmers account for about 83 percent of total production. NPCK indicates that the Sh50 billion worth sub sector supports 3.8 million people directly and indirectly.