A deal has been reached for Kenyan potato farmers to supply their produce to the fast-food chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurants.
According to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, the farmers are well prepared to produce high standard potato varieties that are required by KFC when sourcing the products to make chips.
“We have actually agreed with KFC to work together. They have identified the people they want to work with to start rolling out particular varieties that they require and they have partners who do it the way they want it done and I think there is a team already working on the rollout,” the CS said in an address in Nairobi on Wednesday during the 4th intergovernmental Forum for Agriculture.
“We have come up with a plan on how to grow those particular varieties that KFC requires and to ensure that we have varieties that please the palate of those interested in KFC chips.”
Munya downplayed information that Kenyan potato farming was facing a crisis due to the product shortage that hit KFC.
“The real crisis in the potato sub-sector is supporting farmers to grow, supporting them to deal with the post-harvest losses and ensuring they reach the market. The post-harvest losses is where the middlemen come to exploit them. When there is overproduction, potatoes are highly perishable,” said the CS.
KFC had announced that it had exhausted its chips stock post-New Year’s celebrations prompting a heated discussion on social media as to why the eatery prefers importing potatoes instead of sourcing for them locally.
On January 4, Kenyans were angered after KFC announced it had run out of imported potatoes and thus substituted chips with alternatives such as ugali in its menu.
In its outlets and online, the food chain had issued a notice advising customers to choose the substitutes such as ugali, coleslaw, snack buns, cobs, extra chicken.
“Fam it was truly a Furaha December. Mlikula sherehe with your KFC faves. Ya’ll loved our chips a little too much, and we’ve run out,” KFC tweeted.
“Sorry! Our team is working hard to resolve the issue. In the meantime here are some SWAP options for combo meals if you are craving our Kuku.”
Reports indicate that KFC imports its potatoes from Egypt, the Netherlands, South Africa among others.
