Chiamaka Ekeh
Tanzania will increase land under coffee by attracting new farmers from the southern regions of the country as it seeks to raise production from 66,646 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes in the next four years.
Some 10,000 hectares of land have been set aside for both small and large scale formers.
To attract new growers, the government scrapped some 17 levies and taxes imposed on coffee to stimulate production.
It costs $1,000 for a licence to sell coffee in markets outside the country, and $20 to purchase parchment dry cherry coffee, while a processing licence costs $250.
While outlining the government’s strategy to revive the coffee sector, deputy minister for Agriculture Omary Mgimba said poor farming methods and low prices in the world market were to blame for the sector’s poor performance.
Since most of the coffee varieties being grown now are vulnerable to diseases and pests, the government will provide farmers with 10 million seedlings of new high yield varieties to boost production.
