Author: EDWARD QORRO
AfricaPress-Tanzania: CCM Presidential Candidate, Dr John Pombe Magufuli has pledged to revitalise horticulture.
To start with, Dr Magufuli said the government would purchase a special cargo plane to facilitate the export of horticultural crops.
According to President Magufuli, plans are underway to purchase 11 locomotives fitted with special cold storage facilities.
“Tanzania is among the 20 leading countries in the production and export of horticultural products in the world. Our aim is to compete globally,” he said, while addressing Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium during his campaign rally, which is also the headquarters of the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA).
The CCM presidential flag-bearer insisted that he was committed to elevating the subsector to greater heights for the benefit of Tanzanians. Currently, Tanzania’s horticultural production stands at about 6 million tonnes per year.
The value of Tanzania’s horticultural exports amounted to $24.4 million in 2015. Horticulture is said to be the fastest growing subsector having registered notable growth in the past few years.
It embraces the production, processing and shipping and the market of fruits and vegetables and employs about 4 million Tanzanians.
The subsector is also notable for significantly contributing to food security, nutrition improvement and economic growth.
The main horticultural crops of Tanzania include tomatoes, cabbages, onions, and carrots, round potatoes, mangoes, oranges, and flower seeds, among others.
Tanzania’s horticultural industry largely depends on smallholder farmers who own less than 2 hectares.
The value of Tanzania’s current horticultural export is $700 million, and this subsector is growing at the rate of 11 per cent per year versus 4 per cent for the overall agricultural sector.
According to Faostat, the world’s largest database of food and agricultural statistics Tanzania remains one of the top 20 countries globally in vegetable production.
