Author: ANNE ROBI
AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA Research Institute TARI (Naliendele in collaboration with Cashew nut Board of Tanzania CBT) has embarked on an aggressive training programme on cashew farming to improve quality of the crop produced in the country.
CBT Acting Agriculture Planning Manager Juma Yusu said that the quality of the cashews decreased by 2 per cent in 2019/20 compared to 2018/19.
According to the statistics, the quality of the cashews harvested in 2018/2019 was 99 per cent and 97 per cent in 2019/20.
“After an analysis on the production statistics of the cashews in the country basing on the trend of its quality produced in last three harvesting seasons, we decided to organize a training programme to teach farmers on the best practices of cashew farming,” he said.
He made the revelation here, noting that the programme to be conducted in all the regions involved in the cashew farming will help farmers embark on the best farming practices to increase the value of the crop.
Mr Yusuf said that Tanzanian cashews are renowned for their premium high quality which fetch higher prices than cashews from other countries in the world and thus need to ensure the quality of the produce in Tanzania is maintained for the best businesses.
“The cashew production is decreasing as well as its quality, the trend is shocking and that is why (CBT) pushed to collaborate with TARI Naliendele to organize an aggressive training programme countrywide to teach farmers the best practices that will see the quality and quantity of the cashews increase” he noted.
He said the country’s cashews are considered the best in the world.
“Cashew buyers come to trade in Tanzania because of the quality of the cashews Tanzania produces,” he said, noting tha Tanzania contributes below 10 per cent of 4000,000 million tonnes of the cashews produced in the world from over 40 countries.
Mr Yusuf said the training will involve 5000 out of 300,000 farmers and extension officers who will later train others to invest in quality branding.
On the other hand, TARI Naliendele Acting Centre Director Fortuna Kapinga said the training will focus on best cashew farming technologies using best seed nuts and other inputs.
Dr Kapinga said that cashew nut quality is the major factor in the cashew business, insisting that the farmers should be trained on best farming practices using new technology, on processing and grading also improve quality control.
Cashew nut production in Tanzania during the last harvesting season (2018/19, and 2019/20) stood at 225,106 tonnees and 232,682, respectively.
