TARI spots potential areas for high sunflower yields

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TARI spots potential areas for high sunflower yields
TARI spots potential areas for high sunflower yields

Africa-PressTanzania. TANZANIA Agriculture Research Institute (TARI) has prepared a map showing areas where sunflower can be grown and obtain high yields, advising investors and other stakeholders to use the information for their businesses.

Director of TARI, Dr Catherine Senkolo said yesterday in the ongoing 45th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) that climatic condition of the three regions of Dodoma, Singida and Simiyu is good for growing the crop for high yields.

She said TARI decided to identify the areas to enable institutions, traders and large investors to confidently invest their funds by initiating large scale sunflowers farming.

Dr Senkolo said currently the country is facing shortage of edible oil and is forced to spend billions of shillings to import the product, noting that if the country invests in production of sunflower then it will help to address the shortage.

She said TARI has already embarked on implementation of a five-year strategy to increase the production of sunflower to spearhead the country’s efforts in addressing the shortage and reduce importation of edible oil.

Dr Senkolo said the Institute will continue investing much in the production of quality sunflower seeds to boost cultivation of the crop in the country.

Director of Technology Transfer and Partnerships Dr Juliana Mwakasendo said apart from producing varieties of quality sunflower seeds the centers educate farmers on how best they can use them.

She said TARI has been directing more efforts to boost edible oil production in the country through various research centres that are obliged to produce improved seeds for all oil crops including sunflower, oil palm, sesame and groundnuts with priority being given to sunflower.

Mwakasendo said the country’s oil demand is 570,000 tonnes per year while the production stands at approximately 352,908 tonnes per year. She said apart from showcasing seed technologies the Institute has been educating traders and farmers on the best farming practices and how to properly use pesticides in their farming.

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