Farmers switch from tobacco growing to potatoes, tout it is ‘more profitable’
Some farmers in Kasungu have switched from tobacco growing to orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and Irish potato farming, saying it is more profitable.
The development follows the introduction of improved varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes in the country by International Potato Centre under the Kulima Project.
In an interview, a former tobacco farmer, Jaka Mpani of Chisazima Village in Senior Chief Kaomba in Kasungu, said he was making profits from potato farming.
He said: “In 2019, I switched to sweet potato farming and my life has changed.
“I have bought an ox-cart, two donkeys and I have a shop.”
Another farmer, Chimwemwe Mhango from Matemanga Village in Traditional Authority Nyaluwanga, has also found a new lease of life in Irish potato farming.
“In 2019, I started Irish potato farming as a seed multiplier and sold the seed which fetched a lot of money,” he said.
International Potato Centre research technician David Nthobwa said they want farmers to embrace potato farming.
“We have new varieties and we want them to be available to farmers in the country,” he said.
Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A.
The varieties were bred in Malawi by the Department of Agriculture Research Services.
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The moment we legalise chamba, all these farmers will be swimming in money. Our entire country would be transformed.
Very good and rich development.
Kulima mbewu iyo ungaryako¬ Hona.
Let this spread national wide.
DURBAN
Kwaxmzulu NaTaL.
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Tobacco is useless
The new CEO at Tobacco Commission is very intelligent. He has brought with him vast knowledge and brilliant ideas. According to him, all the Tobacco this year will be bought at prices you have never seen before. All those who stopped growing will come back as he will make the merchants buy the crop at 10 dollars per kg.
It’s a new era.
Linda madzi apite ndiye uziti ndadala. Does a Tobacco Commission buy tobacco from farmers
If Malawians concentrate on growing something that, if not bought by the foreigner, could be sold locally, it can grow. Tobacco, though profitable, has never been edible. If not sold, it’s thrown away as compost. This tiny country concentrates on a crop that contributes to Malawi’s perennial hunger
That’s good if farmers are farming edible plants cause those tobacco if they don’t buy them the farmers suffers a lot they do think of loan plus alagizi which they take money after sales fertiliser which they apply on those tobacco and they waited the whole year those to be sold they need to ha license I mean it’s like punishment seriously then someone who has never ever hold a hoe cause he knows English he goes there to tell the price
That’s what Malawian farmers have to embrace.Change!
Good development
Beautiful