New Cold Room Storage Facility Launched in Meru County to Empower Potato Farmers

Meru County – The potato farming community in Meru County has received a significant boost with the unveiling of a new cold room storage facility, a development that promises to reduce produce wastage and ensure better pricing by allowing sales at optimal times. This facility, located in Ngusishi, Buuri West sub-county, represents a major advancement for local potato farmers who have historically faced challenges due to inadequate storage options.

According to Kenya News Agency, a potato farmer from the area, the introduction of the facility is a long-awaited solution to the problem of low prices driven by immediate sale pressures. Farmers like Mugambi previously had no choice but to sell their potatoes at undervalued prices, fearing spoilage due to poor storage. “During the harvesting period, we have many brokers all over the area who buy potatoes at their preferred prices. Farmers usually have no option but to sell them at poor prices lest they will all rot due to lack of proper storage,” explained Mugambi.

The facility, which was officially commissioned by President William Ruto last week during his development tour of the region, has been met with enthusiasm from the farming community. Fridah Kathure, another local farmer, expressed her plans to expand potato cultivation now that safe storage and favorable selling conditions are assured. “We will now get back to our farms and work hard without any fears of losses following the commissioning of the cold room facility that we have been yearning for,” said Kathure.

Boasting a capacity to store 2,000 metric tonnes of potatoes per year, this state-of-the-art facility incorporates advanced technology to maintain optimal storage conditions for the produce. Designed to serve over 14,000 farmers, it features advanced grading and sorting equipment, significantly enhancing the competitiveness of Meru County potatoes in both local and international markets.

Simon Chelugui, the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, present at the launch, emphasized that the cold storage project demonstrates Kenya’s productive capacity and the Government’s dedication to sustainable solutions for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in agriculture, particularly towards achieving food security goals.

The facility is part of a larger investment of Shs300 million covering Kisii and Nyandarua counties, aimed at minimizing post-harvest losses, ensuring the economic viability of potato farming, and creating competitive, sustainable jobs along the value chain. The collective impact of these three projects is expected to increase the income of smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs involved in potato and vegetable production.

The event was also attended by Agriculture and Livestock Development CS Mithika Linturi, State Department for MSMEs Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni, Micro Small Enterprise Authority board members led by Chairman James Mureu, Director General Henry Rithaa, and Meru County Governor Kawira Mwangaza.