The General Company for Potato Seed Production in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen, has launched the spring season potato harvest across its fields and those of local farmers, marking a transformative moment for the nation’s agriculture. Three years after halting seed imports, Yemen has achieved full self-sufficiency in potato seed production. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Sarraji, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, highlighted that the company now meets local demand with high-quality, high-yield varieties that outperform imported seeds. He further revealed that the ministry is actively considering exporting potato seeds — a step that reflects the country’s successful implementation of leadership directives to strengthen food security and expand cultivated areas.
Engineer Hamdan Al-Akwa, General Manager of the company, stated that Yemen has moved decisively beyond self-sufficiency and now possesses export capacity, calling this an unprecedented achievement in Yemen and the entire Arab region. The company’s spring production has exceeded 8,000 tons of high-quality seeds across nine local varieties that fully satisfy market needs. Three years of stable supply and pricing in the potato seed market demonstrate the practical success of the government’s agricultural plans. Sheikh Saleh Al-Khulani, a member of the Yemeni Scholars Association, praised the harvest launch as a reflection of the leadership’s vision, emphasizing the importance of strengthening Yemen’s agricultural front to reach the stage of “eating what we grow and wearing what we produce.” Al-Akwa expressed hope that Yemen will soon become an exporter of potato seeds, commending the company’s staff and the Ministry of Agriculture for their contributions to this historic achievement.
