By Kelvin Allan
SWEET POTATOES CAN be sold fresh, dried or in powder form. The first step in determining how and when to sell the products is conducting a market survey.
This is carried out to analyze product pricing, quantities to produce, desired quality of the product, varieties required for the specific market, market segments, market industries and the expected income. When selling fresh tubers, consider the following marketing tips:
Season-Timing- Produce when the product is highly needed in the market. (Refer to calendar) Avoid producing when everyone else is doing it. In the months of January and February for instance, there are few farmers taking sweet potatoes to the market so this would be a good time to sell. To produce out of season, use irrigation or grow the sweet potatoes near a river.
Understand competing products and where your competitive advantage is. For example, is the variety you are selling of superior qualities? Are they organically produced? If so, find a way to make the potential buyers aware of these qualities.
When transporting ensure that the potatoes are not dented. Use transport vehicles that keep them safe, such as cargo lorries. Farmers can come together to source for transport.
Identify market opportunities and be proactive to seek them. These could be hospitals, schools, supermarkets, farmers markets, neighbours, households, other farmers, export market.
When targeting institutions or large organizations, it is important to aggregate produce with other farmers to ensure consistency in supply and save on transport cost.
Sweet potato recipes
In addition to boiled potatoes, which are commonly consumed with tea, sweet potatoes can be used to make other delicious African meals as follows:
a) Mukimo
Ingredients
- 6 Medium-sized sweet potatoes
- 2 handful of vegetables
- 250 gms raw maize/green grams
- 1 table spoon of cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Method:
- Peel the sweet potatoes.
- Boil them then add washed vegetables with salt while cooking
then add cooked green grams/cooked maize while mixing
till ready. - Pound/mash all the mixed ingredients and serve while hot/
cold.
b) Githeri
Ingredients: Maize, beans, chopped sweet potatoes.
Method:
- Mix maize and beans then cook.
- Add freshly chopped sweet potatoes when ready then serve
while hot/cold.
c) Mushenye
Ingredients: Sweet potatoes and beans
Method:
- Boil beans then add sweet potatoes then mix and mash.
- Serve while warm/cold.