Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE MINISTRY of Agriculture has urged soybean stakeholders to seize the opportunities in the world while calling them to improve production to compete in the global market.
Speaking at the Soybean Stakeholders’ Forum held in Dodoma recently, that included Tanzanian growers, traders, and virtual presence of Tanzanian ambassadors to various countries including China, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe said that Tanzania has now acquired the right to sell soybeans in China; thus enter into competition with big producers including the United States and Brazil to scramble for the Chinese market.
“Currently the largest consumer of soybeans is China. Tanzanians have a great opportunity to use the Chinese market in selling good soybeans to match the market competition as one kilogramme of soybeans in China is 3,500/- and thus we must match the market,” he said.
He urged Tanzanians to make sure they take advantage of the market for the crop by ensuring that Tanzania produces and sell quality soybeans to face the current market competitions from big producers like Brazil and the USA.
According to statistics presented by the Agriculture Ministry, the world’s largest producers are Brazil (123 tonnes) followed by United States (96 tonnes), Argentina (53 tonnes), and China producing 17 (tonnes).
China soybeans demand completely entered into a paradigm in 2020, with at least 115 tons needed per year, so there was a deficit of 98 tonnes that could be filled by the foreign countries including Tanzania.
“The demand for soybeans in China is high, but our production is still too low to meet the market, so we must do something to ensure we enable the production of soybeans to meet the needs of that market,” said Bashe.
However, Bashe purported the main difference between Tanzanian soybeans can do better in the world market because it is non-generic modified (GMO) unlike other countries.
The Deputy said the Ministry of Agriculture has opened doors for cooperation with various agricultural stakeholders in ensuring the businesses they sell are of quality as well as ensuring they benefit from their businesses.
Bashe tipped that the Ministry’s goal is to ensure that traders buy from farmers’ produce and become major investors who sell quality products abroad to meet the needs of competitive markets.
“Stop going around the banks alone, the government can help you get loans from financial institutions; we can talk to them and see how they can help you to boost your businesses,” he called.
However, he urged seed research centres in the country to ensure that they conduct seed exploration to produce quality seeds that can help the farmers to produce quality soybeans.
Moreover, Deputy Minister Bashe has urged traders who go abroad to do business to ensure that they have contact with Tanzania embassies, which could be helpful in case of any problem in that foreign country.
Deputy Minister Bashe said it has happened several times that Tanzanian businessmen are stranded abroad and lack support but no one care to go to the embassy to report.
“When you arrive at your embassy in the country you are going to for business you will not be charged any money, don’t hesitate to contact them; that helps to protect you and your activities,” he said.
However, he congratulated the Tanzanian Ambassador to China and Zambia; Mbelwa Kairuki and Simba Yahya respectively, for exploring the soybean market in those countries.
In Tanzania Soybeans are grown mainly in Iringa, Njombe, Songwe, Mbeya, Rukwa and Ruvuma regions; however, the production graph shows that the output diminished from a record of 22tons in 2018/2019 to 13 tons in 2019/2020.
But the joint effort from Ministry and Stakeholders seems to change the game this season where 14004 tons recorded so far.
