Abstract:
Potato is important for its contribution to food security and as source of cash income for a large proportion of the rural households. However enhancing potato production to reach markets and actively engage in the potato value chain is the key issue needed in the study area. The major constraints identified were lack of irrigation facility, disease and pests, high input cost, lack of appropriate storge, lack of integration among actors, weak extension services, lack of improved seed and low market price,limited credit services, shortage of capital, and high transportation costs. Hence the objective of the study was to analyze the value chains of potato in Lay Gayint district of South Gonder Zone, Ethiopia. Primary and secondary data were used and for the primary information 212 producers, 2 wholesaler, 10 retailers and 16 consumers’ respondents were selected. Secondary data were also collected from the different sources to complement the data obtained from the survey. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and STATA software using descriptive statistics and OLS. The results showed that, major potato value chain actors in the district were; producers, collector, wholesaler, retailer and consumers. The econometric analysis using ordinary least square estimation on education level of the farmers, sex, age, size of land allocated for potato and agricultural input used were found to be the significant variables influencing production of potato and market supply. The result showed that the majorities 56.65% of potato production was sold, 9.76% of the potato productions were loss and 13.88% of potatoes were seed, and the rest 19.71% was allocated for consumption. Farmers supply potato in the market in large quantity but to sales in low price for collectors. Based on the findings that the stakeholders and governmets should focus on strong integration among actors, developing irrigation facility, distributing agricultural input timely, reduce unfair market and constructing comfortable storage, finally strengthening the provision of formal and informal education.