ZIMBABWE SEED POTATO SUPPLY POTATO PRODUCTION AND MARKETING: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES EXPO 4 NOVEMBER 2016 ZIMBABWE SEED POTATO SUPPLY

OUR TARGET : TOWARDS THE INDUSTRY @30t/ha $12,5/15kg @60t/ha $8/15kg Towards creating a win-win situation between the farmer and the consumer Quality Seed: Freedom from diseases Yield potential Fair seed prices Correct varieties

BASICS OF A SEED SYSTEM A seed system can only exists where the farmers can support the system! Whose interests comes first then? THE FARMER ? or THE SEED PRODUCER

NATIONAL POTATO CONSUMPTION TRENDS FROM YEAR 2000 (in tonnes)

Number of active seed potato companies

SEED SUPPLY STATISTICS July 2015 to July 2016 Formal Seed sales:………………………………… 4 530mt (181 200 pkts) (Target national seed requirement………30 000mt) Hectrage planted :……………………………….. 15 587 Ware produced:…………………………………….. 413 354mt Average yield:……………………..…………. 26.5 hectrage planted from formal seed:..2 265 (14,5%)

Seed supply sources for July 2015/16 Estimated hectrage planted 15 587 Formal system……………………………….14.5% Informal system….…………………………85,5% Farmer to farmer seed sales…………? Farmer retained seed……………………? Unregistered seed traders…………….? Mbare…………………………………………….?

THE ENVIRONMENT Management Varieties Seed Seed handling/preparation Land preparation Fertilisation Planting process Irrigation Pest and disease control Lifting Marketing

Clonal seed (Breeder seed) National Seed Flow Clonal seed (Breeder seed) Breeder seed 1 Foundation seed AA 1 AA 2 AA 3 SEED IMPORTS Minitubers (G0) G1 to G 3 G4 A 1 TABLE POTATO Virus testing A 2 A 3

Dangers: The Kenyan scenario Yields of 7t/ha Ground nut Watermelon Cucumber Pumpkin Beetroot Eucalyptus Cotton Sweet potato Banana Tobacco Tomato Marigold Teak Tumeric Marrow

PROPOSED SEED FLOW TABLE POTATO Breeder seed) Breeder seed 1 Foundation seed AA 1 AA 2 AA 3 A1 A2 A3 G0 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 Virus and bacterial wilt tested Virus and bacterial wilt tested TABLE POTATO

TRANSITION PERIOD Set up testing laboratory (virus, wilts etc.) Perfect the inspection process The inspection process Agree on accountability process Address issues affecting table potato farmers Technical knowledge Fair vertical table potato price positioning (marketing issues) Seed supply to be based on demand

A number of new varieties on the cards Table potato varieties French fries potato varieties Crisping potato varieties Dual purpose potato varieties

Current Forex payments delays Slow variety registration process CHALLENGES Current Forex payments delays Slow variety registration process Farmers are not putting seed orders in advance Consistent supply of quality seed

Recommendations/Action points Ensure the table/processing farmer is viable….scale of production vs yield and market price Facilitate innovation and investment in local seed multiplication Waiver on variety registration process of recognised varieties Streamline system of importation Promote timely payments to grow the capacity of the seed system: Potato is a perishable product. Also logistical lines like potato pkts Activate the Potato Producers Association

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