Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Uvira
Sud-Kivu, République démocratique du Congo
Known here as viazi mviringo · kiazi · pomme de terre
The Irish potato (mbatatisi, ikirayi, viazi mviringo) is a cool-weather crop grown for the tubers that swell underground — it is not a grain, and it is not the same plant as sweet potato.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 16 Jan 2027 – 25 Feb 2027 opens in 15 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 33.4 t/ha | about 30.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 27 Mar 2027 to 5 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 70–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 25 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches Uvira yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 25 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Uvira
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For irish potato in Uvira, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026 season in Uvira
| When the rains are expected | January 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,709 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 41% of this area. |
| 41% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 344 growing days · about 1,640 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 29% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 230 growing days · about 800 mm · October to May |
| 14% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 317 growing days · about 1,400 mm · August to July |
| 11% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 285 growing days · about 1,050 mm · September to June |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What irish potato needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 28 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and magnesium |
What it takes to grow irish potato in Uvira
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 110 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 33 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 194 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a irish potato crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Irish potato with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Uvira as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Irish potato in nearby districts
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will irish potato grow well in Uvira?
Uvira rates as favourable for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Uvira?
Typically 16 Jan 2027 to 25 Feb 2027, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Uvira, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
