By Staff Reporter
THE government in Njombe region is on the advanced process to open a major 87,000 hectares farm for the professional cultivation of avocado, horticulture produce as well as others agro value chains.
At the country's envisaged major estate, at least 60,000 hectares will specifically be used for the cultivation of avocado, whereby the remaining land will harbor horticulture activities and a state- of - the- art dairy project.
Giving an exclusive interview to this publication over the development, the Regional Commissioner (RC) for Njombe region, Anthony Mtaka informed that work for the preparation of the meaningful project was at encouraging stage.
He added, after finalizing with all basic and necessary preparations, they're expecting to advertise the farm to the public with an eye to get serious investors who will legally own some hectares within the modern estate, basing on areas of their interests.
“If all goes as planned, the farm will be ready to start it business from February and March, 2024, the time when we will start to open doors for prospective investors to apply for prestigious opportunities to chip in and invest," he unveiled.
The RC detailed that, the possible investors, as per the involved plans, will be allowed to apply for investing from between one, two up to ten hectares, saying one hectare will be marketed at 5million.
“Our prior assessments have proved that most people have so far wasted a lot of their money to invest into diverse agriculture project without fruitfully results and thus, in this project we have set a friendly scheme to help them fetching profits," he said.
Briefing over the set scheme, he informed that under the vital project, the investors who will pay for the farming blocks, will receive the block farms that have already been cleared, tilled, planted with the best avocado seeds through applications of recommended fertilizers.
"Apart from that, all of the farms under the major project will be installed with the modern irrigation facilities,” RC added.
In order to ensure the project runs successfully, he said they have already entered into special working contracts with the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI- Uyole) for the effective management of the productive area.
“I am appealing to all of the well - wishers, from both public and private sector to prepare themselves to grab the coming numerous economic potentials under the farm in order to improve their livelihoods," he urged.
He communicated that the government in Njombe region was holding talks with the National Housing Corporation (NHC) over possibility to erect a number of housing units within the vast estate, for accommodating some investors, but chiefly the agro pundits who will be responsible for the daily monitoring of the diverse initiatives under the farm.
"Apart from avocado production and horticulture, the area will also incorporate a special zoo for giving a special leisure to the farms involves, as well as the visitors," he expressed.
The development surfaced amid relevant period as the government, through TARI is implementing a robust program to improve production, productivity as well as additional value to avocados in Tanzania
Among others, the focus is to develop various technologies to help improve various levels in the avocados production, such as seed preparation and availability of quality seedlings, agronomic practices, pests’ management.
In targets is also improvement of harvesting techniques to mitigate fruit loss, processing and innovation of avocado products, marketing research on new opportunities for avocados, and alternative consumption of new products of avocados.
So far, TARI has researched, approved and introduced to the farmers more than ten seeds verities of improved avocado in Tanzania.
These are Hass, Fuerte, Weisal, Pinkerton, X - IKULU, Booth 7, Simmonds, Nabal, X- Mwaikokesya, Uyole line and Duke.
Tanzania is the third largest avocado produce in Africa, after South Africa and Kenya. However, despite being endowed with key potential for the cultivation of the crop, including subtropical climates, the country has yet to benefiting full from the sub- sector.
Between 2015 and 2018 annual production rose from 20,000 tons to 190,000 tons.
Moreover, according to the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), in 2018 Tanzania exported 7,551 tons with a total value of USD 8.5 million to Europe, Africa, and Asia. And, The Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that the production was 19,449 metric tons in 2016/2017.
Regions where the cash crop is cultivated in Tanzania include Mbeya, Njombe, Songwe, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, and Tanga. Other regions are Kigoma and Kagera in the northwest and Morogoro in the east of Tanzania.
Relevant records shows that the most important market for Tanzania's avocado is Netherlands, with an untapped potential of USD 1.8 million, whereby the second-largest market is France.
However, other markets with large untapped export potential include Japan, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and China.
Currently it is estimated that over 10,000 farmers across the country are involved in avocado production. In November 2021 the National Plant Protection (NPPZA) – Department of Agriculture of South Africa granted market access to the importation of avocados from Tanzania.
In addition, from 25th November 2021, the Indian Plant Health Authority allowed for the first time to export avocados from Tanzania to India.
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