Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government has extended the deadline for both local and international fertilizer suppliers to bid for tender so that farmers get required consignments on time and at affordable cost.
Minister for Agriculture, Prof. Adolf Mkenda gave the directive in Dar es Salaam, recently adding that the bidding period has been increased for 30 days, saying: “The deadline has been pushed forward from June 8, to July 8, this year.”
He gave the directive, while visiting the Tanzania Fertilizer Regulatory Authority (TFRA) in the city, following President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s order that the ministry should ensure enough productivity in the agricultural sector.
Prof Mkenda further said both local and international companies are invited to bid for the tender, and those who will meet the criteria will be shortlisted in the database for the period of 2021/2022 to 2022/2023.
On his part, TFRA Board Chairman Prof Anthony Mshandete said so far 13 companies had already bid for the tenders and others were still welcomed.
“The Minister of Agriculture has extended the tender bidding deadline until July 8th this year with the aim of getting more applicants from within and outside the country.
The aim is to increase competition and ultimately get quality and affordable price of fertilizer supplier(s) to our farmers,” he said.
He also directed that the tender invitation will be sent to the embassies in countries, which produce fertilizers, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation so as to get more bidders.
He mentioned some of the nations as Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Morocco, Ukraine and Turkey.
TFRA noted that the demand for fertilizer in the country has been increasing year after year, citing 2017/2018 year, when the demand was 485,000 tonnees and in 2020/2021, when it was 718,051 tonnees.
In addition, Mshandete noted that 90 percent of the fertilizer is imported and only 10 per cent is produced locally.
On his visit, Minister Mkenda called on TFRA to develop a strategy for the establishment of new fertilizer factories locally to increase production in the country.
