Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government is planning to execute ambitious projects of constructing cereals’ storage facilities in neighbouring countries of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi, to boost cross border trade with them.
The Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe disclosed that on Tuesday at different locations, while inspecting the ongoing maize purchasing exercises at main National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) purchasing centers in Sumbawanga and Nkasi District, Rukwa Region.
The deputy minister was in Katavi and Rukwa for four days working tour. He addressed smallholder farmers and maize traders at Laela purchasing centre in Sumbawanga District.
Mr Bashe said that Tanzania government is in talks with the government of DR Congo and Burundi for the implementation of the ambitious project.
“The ambitious initiative is part of the ministry’s plan to capture the reliable and competitive markets by establishing cereal storage facilities right in the two neighbouring countries, instead of waiting crop traders from DR Congo and Burundi to cross borders to purchase maize in the country.
“I’m very optimistic this ambitious project will boost cross – border crop trade with the two neighbouring countries,” stressed the deputy minister.
He urged farmers and traders to grab the opportunity once the construction of the facilities will be accomplished, so that they would store cereals, while waiting for buyers.
The deputy minister disclosed further that the government is also in final stage of establishing similar centres in Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya for traders from Tanzania to store cereals, while waiting for prospective buyers.
“The establishment of the centre in Nairobi City is at final stages … currently members of Tanzania Cereals and Other Produce Board are in Juba, South Sudan to temporarily hire warehouses for the similar purposes,” added Bashe.
Meanwhile, the deputy minister revealed that farmers in the country have bumper surplus of maize from 500,000 metric tonnes during 2019/20 seasons, to 1,000,000 metric tonnes this season.
Across section of trader and farmers from Katavi and Rukwa region interviewed by this paper at different occasions are optimistic of future prosperity if the government construct storage facilities in DR Congo and Burundi, saying the initiative will enable them to secure competitive and reliable market for crops as well as avert crop market crisis and boost cross – boarder trade between Tanzania and neighbouring DR- Congo and Burundi.
