Market Value Chain Analysis of Potato: Evidence from Southern Ethiopia

For Debub-Bench Woreda smallholder potato producers, potato has significant contribution for consumption at home and in generating cash income. Therefore, enhancing potato farmers’ access to market and linking them to most beneficial outlets is a key issue needed. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was collected from randomly selected 94 farm households and 22 traders. Potato market chain actors in the study area include input suppliers, producers, retailers, wholesalers, processors and consumers. Five potato marketing channels were identified in the study area with major share of volume of potato marketed going through producers to retailers and to consumers channel. Lack of irrigation facility, disease and pests, high input cost, weak extension services, delay of fertilizer distributions, poor quality seed and adverse weather condition are production constraints identified in the study area. Low output price, poor road infrastructure, limited credit services, shortage of capital, lack of continuous supply throughout the year, and high transportation costs are marketing constraints hindering potato value chain development in the study area. Based on the findings government and other stakeholders need to focus on strengthening improved seed access, strengthening rural urban infrastructure, expanding accessibility of market, improving land management practices and improving productivity through strengthening extension service in order to accelerate market chain development. Keywords: Potato, Market chain, Debub-Bench, Constraints DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/13-16-02 Publication date:September 30th 2022