Malawi

mbatata/potato

Year
2007
Production
2 425 000 tons
Harvested area
457 000 acres
Yield
5.3 tons/acre

Source: FAOSTAT

Potatoes came to East Africa in the 19th century, brought by missionaries and European colonialists. But the crop did not become important to Malawians until the 1960s, when production reached around 66 000 tons a year.

Now Malawi sub-Saharan Africa's biggest potato producer, with a 2007 harvest of more than 2.4 million tons. The potato is grown mainly in highland areas in the country's southern and central regions, the most suitable areas being at altitudes of between 3 200 and 6 500 ft and with more than 30 inches of annual rainfall. In parts of the southern region, farmers can grow two crops each year. Potatoes are often planted with maize and beans during the main October-March season.

Only a tiny proportion of Malawi's potatoes is exported. Annual consumption has more than tripled over the past 15 years to a high 194 lb per capita.

Further details from CIP's World Potato Atlas