Colombia: Plan launched to support potato producers

The initiative seeks to guarantee fair incomes for farmers and improve their quality of life.

The strategy contemplates an initial investment of $1 billion, of which $700 million comes from the Nariño Governor’s Office and $300 million from Fedepapa. The plan’s central mechanism is the public purchase of potatoes at a fair price of $70,000 per bag, triple the current market value.

The program is aimed at small farmers in Nariño with cultivated areas between 1 and 3 hectares. Producers must register with the UMATAS (National Agricultural Association) or municipal agricultural departments to access the benefits. The Nariño Governor’s Office is holding registration sessions from August 27 to 29 to ensure the process is free and reliable.

In addition to public procurement, the departmental administration is working on a market expansion strategy to address overproduction and stimulate consumption of Nariño potatoes at the regional and national levels. It seeks to coordinate supply centers, restaurant chains, and distribution platforms to achieve this goal.

The emergency plan seeks to ensure that Nariño farmers stop selling at a loss and that potatoes once again become a source of decent livelihood for rural communities. The Nariño Governor’s Office and the Ministry of Agriculture hope this initiative will have a positive impact on the economy of small potato producers in the department.