Storing potatoes
Storage of potatoes is also key to getting a bumper harvest. Storing your potatoes has a lot of good benefits.
Not only can you stop losing an amount of your harvest every year to disease, you can also hold them until a time when the markets are better.
Form a group with your neighbours to sell to large potato buyers. It is easier to sell 1000 bags than 100 bags. You will get a bigger profit.
Store potatoes in a Charcoal store
A good way to store your potatoes is using a charcoal cooler store.
Build a big charcoal store with your neighbours. Store your potato crop for up to 3-4 months.
The open walls are made of mesh wire packed with charcoal.
The charcoal is always kept wet by water from a tank. Water evaporates from the charcoal which takes heat from inside the store. The store is therefore kept very cold. It is also dark – perfect for potatoes!
Make sure the bags do not touch the walls.
Benefits of charcoal store
- No electricity needed, just water.
- Can be used to store many different fruits and vegetables.
- They stop fruits and vegetables from drying out.
- Easy to build.
- If many farmers join together to build the store, it is not expensive.
- Cheap to maintain.
