Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), through its Arusha-based Northern Zone branch, has successfully sold a total of 23,000 tonnes of maize grains over the past three years since President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan took office.
This substantial quantity of maize, a staple food for the country, was sold at affordable prices to citizens across the three regions of Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Manyara.
The achievement was highlighted in an exclusive interview with NFRA’s Northern Zone Manager, Andrew Kanyika.
He explained that the agency’s efforts aimed to address maize scarcity in the region, which had driven up prices.
“Our mission is to ensure food security and that citizens have access to sufficient food at reasonable prices,” Kanyika stated.
Kanyika also detailed other accomplishments under President Samia’s administration, including the purchase of approximately 36,000 tonnes of maize from local farmers.
“I would like to thank the government for allocating a budget that has enabled us to purchase a significant amount of maize, providing farmers with reliable markets for their produce,” he said.
He said, as of June, this year, NFRA, through its Arusha branch also provided food assistance to communities affected by natural disasters.
For example, 14 tonnes of maize were distributed to residents in Katesh, Hanang District, Manyara Region, who were impacted by mudslides late last year.
Additionally, 27 tonnes were distributed in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region, with further aid reaching Hai District (23 tonnes), Moshi (20 tonnes) and Siha District (4 tonnes), all provided free of charge.
Looking ahead to the 2024/25 agricultural season, NFRA plans to purchase 40,000 tonnes of maize in the first batch.
Mr Kanyika encouraged maize farmers in the three regions to sell their produce to NFRA, noting that President Samia has mandated an increase in the purchase price from 650/- to 700/- per kilogramme.
“We have five specialised centres for coordinating the procurement of maize from farmers within the zone,” Kanyika said.
NFRA is committed to purchasing maize according to government standards and maintaining a reserve to assist local communities in need, thus ensuring food security across the region and the nation.
Currently, NFRA operates 72 purchasing points across eight regions Dodoma, Dar es Salaam (Kipawa), Njombe (Makambako), Songwe, Rukwa (Sumbawanga), Manyara (Babati), Shinyanga and Songea.
The agency’s procurement strategy includes buying in bulk from large-scale traders and cooperative societies where farmers aggregate their produce.
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