Farmers Urged to Preserve Sweet Potatoes for Future Profit
Shire Valley Agriculture Development Division advises farmers in Nsanje and Chikwawa to preserve sweet potatoes for higher prices during scarcity.
NSANJE, MALAWI — The Shire Valley Agriculture Development Division (SVADD) is urging farmers in Nsanje and Chikwawa to preserve their surplus sweet potatoes to maximise profits in the future, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
According to Abraham Banda, Communications Manager for SVADD, farmers are currently facing low prices due to an oversupply of sweet potatoes in the market.
"Now is the right time for people to start preserving the tubers by making nkhuti to store them for future use," Banda explained.
Banda also encouraged communities to consume yellow sweet potatoes, as they are rich in Vitamin A.
Joyce Lenadi, from Kalupya village in the area of Senior Chief Mbenje in Nsanje, expressed her frustration with the lack of profits from sweet potato sales.
"We do not have other sources of income but to sell the potatoes to buy maize, sorghum, or millet from the parallel markets," said Lenadi, echoing Banda's sentiments.
Denis Julaye, a resident at Sorgin Trading Centre, has taken a different approach by starting a business selling fried sweet potatoes.
"Many people flock to my stall to buy fried sweet potatoes, and by the end of the day, I sell almost one and a half bags," Julaye shared.