A Study of Farmers knowledge and practices related to Harvesting, Sorting, and Packaging Exported potato in some specialized villages in the Arab Republic of Egypt

The main objective of this research was to investigate Farmers' knowledge and practices related to some technical recommendations concerning Exported potato in some specialized villages in Egypt. The study was carried out in Beheira. Gbarbiya. and Monoufia Governorates for having the highest production level, and largest number of exporting potato farmers. Data were collected by personal interviews using a pretested questionnaire from a systematic random sample amounted to 120 pota‌to growers. The questionnaire was coded and data were statistically ana-lyzed using frequencies. percentages, means, and standard deviations. The Study objectives were: 1- To study some personal-economical, and communicational characteristics of the respondents. 2- To determine respondents' knowledge and practices levels to-wards some technical recommendations concerning harvesting, sorting. and packaging of the exported potato. 3- To determine the problems and constrains facing the respon-dents in applying the technical recommendations concerning harvesting, sorting, and packaging of the exported potato. The main results of the study wore as follows: 1- Most of the respondents were illiterate (41.7%). 2- Farm size mean was 3.17 teddans (s.d.2.52), and 492% of the interviewees have farm size less than (3) teddans. 3- The average potato yield was 9.67 tondeddan. 4- About 77% of the interviewees have low knowledge levels of the Technical recommendations. concerning exported potato, and 66% showed interest in knowing important technical recommendations con-ceming harvesting. sorting, and packaging of the exported potato. 5. 76.7% of the respondents depend on their personal experi‌ence in producing potato as an information source. 6. 61.7% of the respondents indicated that the best way of get-ting Technical recommendations concerning harvesting, sorting, and packaging of the exported potato comes through exchanging visitation with the Extension Agent. 7- Low level of Knowledge and practices of potato growers was