By Benedict Tembo
The demand for Zambian potato chips has continued to grow in East Africa, with Uganda being the latest to make orders.
The Zambia Potato Company has literally reversed the importation of chilled potato chips from South Africa, and saved the country foreign currency, thereby helping to replenish the treasury with the greenbuck.
Zambia Potato Company Country Sales and Business Development Manager Mathews Kaubo is happy with the progress his potato processing company has made in the few years it has been on the international market.From the 27 metric tonnes it first exported to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the company is slowly gaining a lion’s share in the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) markets.
Mr Kaubo said following successful exports to Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda has made orders.
In the SADC, the company has apart from the DRC, been exporting to Malawi, Namibia and South Africa.
“South Africa is our biggest market.
From the pilot export of 27 tonnes to the DRC in January, 2022, the company now exports to eight countries in the EAC and SADC markets,” he said.Mr Kaubo has paid glowing tribute to Government through its quasi institutions for guidance.He said the Zambia Development Agency has been pivotal in helping the company to enter the export market after having been brought on board for the business expo in Lubumbashi, DRC in late 2021.
He also commended the Zambia Revenue Authority and the Zambia Bureau of Standards that ensured the company was compliant to the country’s tax regime and phytosanitary standards for the export market respectively .
Since then, the company has been growing its footprints in the EAC and SADC markets.
The company has so far cruised the 1,850 metric tonnes from the 750 tonnes exported in 2022 and is still aiming to surpass going to the year end.
Mr Kaubo said the company strikes a delicate balance by ensuring that both the local and export markets are satisfied.Locally, the company supplies to chain stores countrywide while local entrepreneurs are serviced by the Buya Bamba outlet on the outskirts of Lusaka City Market.Buya Bamba is both an outgrower agent and distributor for raw potatoes.
“Our focus was mainly to satisfy the local demand. But the processing equipment was projected to be producing more than the country’s needs,” Mr Kaubo said.With local demand estimated to be around 700 tonnes monthly, the company needed to offload the surplus on the foreign market.
“We started our exports in 2022 with 27 tonnes to the DRC. It has since increased to 780 tonnes. We are happy we are exporting the surplus after meeting the local demand,” Mr Kaubo said.
He said the Zambia Potato Company has been exporting 50 tonnes to Botswana, Malawi and Namibia.
“South Africa is our biggest market. Kenya and the DRC are our second biggest markets in terms of demand,” Mr Kaubo said.
The company, which established in 2018 but started production in 2019, has employed 150 full time staff members, mostly women at its Ngwerere factory in Chongwe District.
Mr Kaubo said the company has created hundreds of jobs through its outgrower schemes in Northern and Southern provinces.
“Farmers employ about eight people per hectare. We are growing above 2,000 hectares,” “he said.
Hundreds of marketeers benefit from loose raw potatoes at Buya Bamba.
“We are happy to keep our farmers growing. The more they increase the hectarage, the more jobs they create. We have to continue growing the export market,” Mr Kaubo said
Well done but tell your employees to always put on masks just like they are doing with the ear protectors. That is not a good picture you would like to be displayed. Quality inspection is lacking by the supervisors.
I am curious. Why do they have to wear face masks? Is it to prevent contamination of the chips?
@SkyLab, Good question. Masks are worn by food handlers to prevent them from coughing or sneezing onto and contaminating food during the food preparation and handling process. From a food safety perspective, the concern is with the exhalation rather than inhalation of aerosol droplets.
This is great stuff. I hope the growth of this enterprises continues. Its nice to know that we are not importing foods which can be grown locally.
Indeed Buya Bamba is now a household name when it comes to potatoes. They should just clarify whether their potatoes are GMO or not. Zambia is still a net importer of potatoes. Loads of potatoes from Tanzania are on the market and I don’t know who grants them import permits. I suspect that most are smuggled. Instead of processing import permits at Mount Makulu in Chilanga, consider to de-centralize by establishing satellite offices and inspectorates at strategic points like Nakonde, Chinsali and Kapiri. This will help to protect the local market for local producers. There are quite a number of things that you can’t do in Tanzania and I don’t understand why Zambia hasn’t imposed reciprical measures
Nothing special some of us opened businesses in dubai under ecl the great. Only hh is getting rich under upnd
Kaizar won’t understand. He does not know how to read. Illiterate fool
F00I
Are these chips Halal certified. There is huge demand for halal certified food in Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Mauritania. Get that certificate and export to these markets.Allah Rahim.
Good news , good move and yes they need to get into the halal market. This should encourage farmers.