Irish potato production rises across all seasons in 2025 – NISR

By Elias Hakizimana.

Irish potato production in Rwanda increased across all three agricultural seasons in 2025, according to the newly released Seasonal Agriculture Survey and Annual Report by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).

The report shows that Irish potato output rose by 3.2 percent in Season A, 10 percent in Season B, and 17 percent in Season C, compared to the corresponding seasons of 2024—signaling a positive performance for one of the country’s key staple and cash crops.

In absolute terms, production was estimated at 475,785 metric tons in Season A, 314,093 metric tons in Season B, and 94,892 metric tons in Season C.

NISR data indicate that the increase was supported by an expansion in cultivated area during Seasons A and B. In Season A of 2025, Irish potatoes were grown on 54,485 hectares, a 0.8 percent increase year-on-year, while Season B recorded 45,940 hectares, representing a 9.8 percent increase. Despite a 17 percent reduction in cultivated area in Season C, production still rose sharply, suggesting improvements in productivity or favorable growing conditions.

Average yields varied across seasons and farm scales. In Season A, the average yield stood at 8.7 tons per hectare, while Season B recorded 6.8 tons per hectare. Large-scale farmers consistently achieved higher yields, harvesting up to 14.2 tons per hectare in Season B, compared to 6.8 tons per hectare among small-scale farmers.

Spatial analysis shows that the highest levels of Irish potato production were consistently recorded in Nyabihu, Rubavu, Musanze, and Burera districts, reaffirming their role as Rwanda’s main potato-growing zones.

Irish potatoes remain a strategic crop for food security, farmer incomes, and agro-industrial development in Rwanda, with the 2025 performance pointing to steady growth despite seasonal variations.