Push to cut potato bag weight opposed
Mr David Langat packaging his potatoes for selling at his farm in Nyakinyua, Nakuru County, on July 23, 2014. Potato traders in Meru have opposed plans by Meru County Assembly to have weight of potato bags cut to 50 kilogrammes from the current ones that weigh over 110kgs. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Speaking to the Nation at Gakoromone market in Meru, the traders said that farmers prefer the extended bags in order to dispose their produce before it goes bad.
Potato traders in Meru have opposed plans by Meru County Assembly to have weight of potato bags cut to 50 kilogrammes from the current ones that weigh over 110kgs.
Speaking to the Nation at Gakoromone market in Meru, the traders said that farmers prefer the extended bags in order to dispose their produce before it goes bad.
The county assembly agriculture committee chairman and Igoji West Ward MCA Kaumbuthu Chabari said that the assembly has passed a motion seeking to cushion farmers from unscrupulous traders.
“We’re yet to come up with a Bill on potato production because a similar Bill is in the Senate. We have had a motion that recommended that Meru farmers package their potatoes in 50kg bags,” Mr Chabari said.
However, Mr Wilson Mburung’a, a trader at Gakoromone market who has been in the business since 1967, said that previous attempts to control potato business have flopped due to lack of storage mechanisms.
“I started selling potatoes in 1967 from a white farmer who used to sell potatoes per kilo. The farmer realised that most of the potatoes were going bad in the store. Everyone now sells with the extended bags,” Mr Mburung’a said.
Ms Margaret Gacheri, also a potato trader, said that the standardisation of potato packaging can only be successful if it is nationwide.
