Invest in Tanzania agriculture, India businesses urged

        Dar es Salaam. Indian business executives have been urged to invest in Tanzania’s agriculture.

That was said by Indian High Commissioner Sandeep Arya here yesterday.

He was speaking during an event to promote India’s food.

He cited areas of investment as in clove and cashew production.

According to him, Tanzania has a comparative advantage in clove and cashew farming.

“It’s high time we imported these raw produce to feed our processing industries,” he said.

Tanzania’s leading cashew-producing regions are Mtwara, Lindi and Coast.

Cashew nuts are normally exported in raw form.

Although there are plans to construct three cashew-processing plants, it is unclear when the work will start.

Currently, a delegation of Indian investors is in Tanzania to look for distributors of processed products.

Mr Arya is optimistic that by importing and exporting commodities, trade between the two countries will be enhanced.

Indian export earnings from Tanzania stood at $29.02 million (Sh64.5 billion) during the last financial year, according to Agricultural and Processing Food Products Export Development Authority general manager Shamsher Nayyar.

The exports include fruits and vegetable seeds, drinks and rice.

“We are participating in this brand promotion of Indian food in Dar es Salaam to increase our volume of exports,” noted Mr Nayyar.

“Indian food products with improved packaging are now becoming popular worldwide and they have been introduced to the new market.”