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

2. 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

3. 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

4. NATIONAL POTATO CONSUMPTION TRENDS FROM YEAR 2000 (in tonnes)

5. Number of active seed potato companies

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

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

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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. THANK YOU