Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA’s production of pyrethrum is expected to triple to 9000 tonnes this year from the previous capacity of 3000 tonnes, after three industries increased their intake of such raw materials.
The Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe noted, over the weekend ,during a meeting which involved stakeholders from six regions that grow pyrethrum.
The stakeholders were, among others, pyrethrum companies and representatives of farmers. Mr Bashe congratulated the producers for setting the target of producing 9,000 tonnes of pyrethrum flowers, the amount which the three factories vowed to buy all.
He revealed that the ministry was committed to develop the production of pyrethrum, noting that the ministry, through the Board and the Agriculture Research Institute (TARI), would invest in research on quality pyrethrum seeds and ensure they would be widely available and timely distributed to farmers.
“We need 3 tonnes of quality pyrethrum seed to be used to produce 9,000 tonnes of pyrethrum after one year when the factories are ready to buy it from farmers.” He stressed The Deputy Minister also commended PCT, which would purchase 6,000 tonnes per annum, while TAN Extract Ltd needs 1,000 tonnes and PYTECH Ltd needs 2,000 tonnes of pyrethrum flowers that will be produced by farmers in the 2022/23 season.
Meanwhile, Mr Bashe outlined the ministry’s strategies to ensure the pyrethrum crop production is increased by embarking on various interventions, including research and production of quality seeds through TARI.
Mr Bashe also said the ministry would establish a contract farming system (Contract Farming) that would go along with encouraging the Councils to set aside land for farming.
For his part, Mr Anangisye Mwankina, who was recognized as the best farmer of pyrethrum from Ipelele Ward in Makete District, appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to involve district officials in the country to cooperate closely with pyrethrum farmers to increase the quality of the produce.
Mr Mwankina, who has been the best pyrethrum farmer since 2014, has appealed to the President Samia Suluhu Hassan to visit Makete farmers, a move that, he was optimistic, would boost the spirit of farmers in the area.
For his part, Director of the Tanzania Pyrethrum Board (TPB), Mr Lucas Ayo, said production of pyrethrum had increased from 2,011 tonnes in 2015/16 to 2,510 tonnes in 2019/20 when it targeted 3,000 tonnes.
He also noted that productivity had increased from an average of 250 kg per acre in 2015/16 to 270 kg per acre in 2019/20, while the average minimum price paid to a farmer has increased from 1500/- in 2015/16 to 2,400/- in 2019/20 and 2,500/- in 2020/21 per kilogramme of pyrethrum.
Mr Ayo said the Pareto Board’s strategy in 2021/22 had focused on increasing in-depth research on different uses of pyrethrum products, including pesticides in farms, homes, and crop warehouses, a step that would stimulate the growth and productivity of pyrethrum crops.
In Tanzania, the pyrethrum crop is currently grown in the six regions of Arusha, Manyara, Songwe, Njombe and Iringa. Until February 2021, the Board has enrolled 10,586 farmers in its system of identification and services to farmers.
