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Rapid Market Assessment: Viable Sweetpotato Technologies – VISTA

A rapid market assessment was conducted to assess the commercial potential of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) in 14 markets located in seven districts in Tanzania. The study sought to estimate the demand and supply, consumption trends and perceptions about OFSP with an aim of designing strategies to position OFSP producers in the market chain. A total of 328 traders, consumers, market masters and extension service providers were interfaced with. Results revealed that the sweetpotato trade is dominated by women (77% in retail and 63% in wholesale). White fleshed varieties were the most highly demanded and traded while only 46% of the traders were aware of OFSP and its nutritional benefits. The mean volumes traded in peak and lean seasons was 35.6kg and 25kg per month respectively. Sweetpotato was highly demanded in Ramadhan, and the general perception was that its demand was increasing. On average, 70% of the consumers bought sweetpotato once a week, and the purchase factors considered important were root size, skin and flesh colour and price. Amongst the barriers new entrants in the trade were bound to face were taxes, inadequate knowledge on trends and varieties on demand, and ensuring consistent supply to traders. OFSP trade is a lucrative option which commercial farmers can engage in. They would have to be supported to develop business plans, build business partnerships and networks and engage actively with other actors in the chain.

Authors: Sarah Mayanja, Fred Grant, Rogers Kakuhenzire, Haile Selassie Okuku

Subjects: Value chain, commercialization, orange fleshed sweetpotato

Pages: 32

Publisher: International Potato Center (CIP)

Publication Date: September 25, 2017

Identifier: 10.4160/9789290604815

Rights: cip

Keywords: assessment, markets, value chains

HOW TO CITE

Mayanja, S; Grant, F; Kakuhenzire, R and Okuku, H. 2017. Rapid Market Assessment: Viable Sweetpotato Technologies. CIP Technical Report