Africa-Press – Tanzania. SOYBEANS and sesame seed farmers and traders in the country can now afford to smile following confirmed reports that a Chinese company plans to purchase 200,000 tonnes of each of the agricultural produce next season.
The Chinese firm – Yihai Kerry – expressed interest when its Director, Yang Yantao met with Tanzania’s Ambassador to China, Mr Mbelwa Kairuki in Beijing.
Currently, China is the world’s biggest importer of the two agricultural produce.
The company is also interested in purchasing sesame seeds with special interest in the produce from the southern regions of Tanzania.
Mr Kairuki said the company has its branch in Tanza nia, and that this year they have purchased one hundred thousand tonnes of sesame seeds.
“According to the company, Tanzanian sesame is in high demand in the Chinese market, and they expect to buy up to 200,000 tonnes from Lindi in the coming season, therefore we urge farmers to produce more with an assurance of market,” he said.
On soybeans, he said the company has pledged to start buying 20,000 tonnes every month, where the type of soy they prefer is the one with the highest protein content from 40 per cent onwards.
“Tanzanians should seize this opportunity,” he said.
Beijing pledged to support African nations by expanding imports – especially beyond natural resources – made during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2018.
Another opportunity, he said was an interview with Alibaba Company who want to buy fish bellies, saying they will set up a special platform to sell the product because it is very popular in the Chinese market.
“We have agreed that on 22 December 2020, we will have a virtual conference between the Tanzanian embassy in China, Alibaba Company and fishmongers in Tanzania,” he noted.
He added, “This is a great opportunity for Tanzania because right now our fish bellies are being sold in Vietnam and Hong Kong, then thereafter imported to China, but now the market is open and traders can sell directly to China.”
The envoy further said that between Saturday and Monday, they will provide information on how marketers and stakeholders can participate in the conference.
China is still the world’s leading importer of Tanzania sesame seeds, accounting for 35.9 per cent of the world’s sesame imports.
Tanzania’s other top export destinations are Japan and South Korea, and in accessing Chinese market, Tanzania is the fourth leading exporting country behind Sudan, Niger and Ethiopia.
International Trade Centre (ITC) global trade statistics show that last year, Tanzania exported 108,861 tonnes of sesame worth $164.5 million.
Among the top exporting countries, Tanzania’s sesame attracted a better price, where one tonne was sold at $1,511, Niger ($1,491 per tonne) and Sudan ($1,491 tonne), only falling behind Ethiopia ($1,586 per tonne) at Dar es Salaam Port.
On Tuesday, President John Magufuli and China President Xi Jinping agreed to closely synergise their development strategies, deliver more solid outcomes in their comprehensive cooperative partnership, and contribute to the building of the China-Africa community with a shared future.
He said Tanzania’s economic growth pace is evidence that the East African nation is likely to become an economic giant in Africa.
On his part, President Magufuli expressed his appreciation to President Xi for acknowledging Tanzania’s achievements under his leadership.
He assured President Xi that Tanzania will continue to cement the good relations between the two countries dating some 55 years back when the founding fathers, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Chairman Mao Zedong initiated the historic ties.
