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By MICHAEL ORIEDO
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A huge cold store, dozens of farm machinery including planters, sprayers and graders and a lush potato crop, welcome one to Jamie Rankin 's farm in Donegal, Ireland.
The farmer grows the crop on 300 acres and is one of the largest growers in the 5 million people nation, the home of Irish potatoes.
On this day, in Kenyan delegation had visited them to learn how to grow their potatoes , with farmers harvesting up to 50 tonnes per hectare.
"This crop is about three weeks old," says Rankin to the amazement of his audience. The potato crop is over 30cm tall, having grown faster thanks to good husbandry and seeds. "Rankin, whose farm has been growing since 1890, farms the Roosters variety, the most popular and high-yielding type in Ireland. Another popular variety is Kerr Pink.
"I grow the crop on six-year rotations on different sections of the farm. The last time has been served here six years ago. I turn the potato with wheat, barley or grbad for dairy and beef cattle to break disease cycles and boost soil content, "offers Rankin, who grows potatoes for the table and for the seeds.
All operations on the farm are mechanized, with the farmer using machines to plow, ridge the soil, plant, spray chemicals, and harvest.
He plants certified, disease-free seeds developed at the Tops Potato Propagation Center, where it takes 12 years to come up with a variety.
To grow seeds, he buys tissue-culture seedlings from Tops.
Gerry Doherty, a manager at Tops, says with the advancement of science, testing of seedlings to ensure freedom of freedom. particularly viral diseases has become an integral part of their certification scheme.
Tops maintains a collection of 650 virus free potato varieties – for steaming, boiling, chipping and crisping.
WASHING DETERIORATES QUALITY
"I use 60 percent certified seeds that go for 3 Euro cents (Sh3.6) each and recycle the rest from my previous harvest. The law demands that we use at least 40 per cent certified seeds, "says Rankin.
Before he plants, he applies chicken manure pre-season on the farm and later during planting, he uses 8:11:18 NPK fertilize.
Crop rotation, Rankin and other potato farmers do not struggle with diseases like potato cyst nematodes, blackleg, ring rot and spindle tuber viroid. They also have no challenges with pests.
"Our main challenge is blight. I have to spray my potato crop against blight every 7 to 10 days throughout the season, "says the farmer, who grows the crop a year ounce.
![Jamie Rankin in his potato farm in Donegal, Ireland. [19659020] Jamie Rankin in his potato farm in Donegal, Ireland. Rankin, whose farm has been growing since 1890, farms the Roosters variety, the most popular and high-yielding type in Ireland. PHOTO | MICHAEL ORIEDO | NMG </figcaption></p>
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<p> Harvesting starts in August and is done by four people – father, son and two workers – and salesmen go on for a year. <br /> Rankin harvests 120,000 tons Ton boxes. He then graduated at 30C, where they stay for 11 months. </p>
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<p> "Before I store, I do not wash them. Washing leads to deterioration of quality during storage. I have my potatoes throughout the year, "he says, adding at most, he has eight workers on the farm. </p>
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<p> Rankin's potatoes and those of other farmers, including Country Crest and Keogh's Crisps </p>
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<p> Country Crest Marketing Manager Tony Doyle says, "They are cleaned, graded and packed into packs of various sizes for big retail chains like Tesco and SuperValu. </p>
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<p> "We supply the product to the supermarket in their branded packs. Doyle, whose company also imports and packages for the supermarkets, which he said, "which control over 90 per cent of the retail market." </p>
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<p> At Keogh's Crisps, a potato processor based in North Dublin, the product is processed for crisps with various flavors for the high-end market. </p>
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<p> <strong> BETTER VARIETIES LEAD TO VIBRANT POTATO INDUSTRY </strong> </p>
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<p> Ross Keogh, a director at the company , says the firm grows its own potatoes, but also buys in bulk from farmers </p>
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<p> "We make crisps mainly for the niche market that include the Emirates Airlines. The potatoes are washed, graded and sliced without peeling before they are fried at 1500C, flavoured and packed for the market, "says Tom. </p>
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<p> Sean Owens of the Potato Group of the IPM Says the Potato Group Because of the Ideal Conditions That Include 1,250mm of a Year-long Yield </p>
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<p> have the right varieties for specific purposes. The crop is grown on 9,000 hectares in the United States. </p>
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<p> According to Owens, the ideal potato is high yields, is resistant to diseases and has high acceptability in the market. [19659004] <img decoding=](http://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/4650422/medRes/2035915/-/utxuukz/-/irish+img3.jpg)
"The packer needs a differentiated product, that has no waste and keeps bringing customers back to the consumer needs a delicious, healthy and nutritious product," he observed.
Owens notes that development of new potato industry, and Kenya in particular Nyandarua County
Irish technology comes to Kenya
IPM Potato
"Kenya has an advantage over The Irish company has been partnered with Kevian Industries by Kimani Rugendo to grow seed potatoes Ireland because we have a potato season, you can grow the crop during the season, and you can grow it. Those are three seasons. And with the right seeds, production of 10 tonnes per hectare, "Sean Owens of the Potato Group IPM says.
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