This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
On July 2, 2020, the Kenyan government announced plans to build a Ksh 117 million cold room in Muchorwe, Molo, to support potato farmers in Nakuru County.
The cold room, designed to store four million kilograms of potatoes, will feature an information centre and storage areas to prolong the shelf life of the harvest by four to six months and maintain consistency in quality.
Nakuru County Agriculture Chief Officer Kibet Maina explained that the project, financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries under the National Agricultural Rural Inclusive and Growth Project (NARIGP), will enable farmers to bulk the commodity and improve their bargaining power for better prices.
According to Maina, potato farmers in the county lose up to 40 percent of their total produce in post-harvest losses, with the county producing over 400,000 bags of potatoes annually.
"Our analysis indicates that potato prices increase three times in two to three months after harvesting. With the facility in place, farmers will be able to wait for the right time when prices stabilize before disposing off their produce," Maina said.
Nakuru is among the largest producers of potatoes in Kenya, accounting for 18.9 percent of national production.
