Farmers lose 40pc of yields, says govt

Mbeya. Farmers lose up to 40 per cent of their yields before and after harvests due to various reasons including lack of proper care of crops.

The statement was made early in the week by the minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Charles Tzeba, in his speech read on his behalf by Songwe Regional Commissioner Chiku Galawa during the Agricultural Show (Nanenane) for the Southern Highlands regions at the John Mwakangale Grounds in Mbeya Region.

Due to the situation, the minister urged heads of departments in every district to ensure that strategies of marketing systems of farmers’ crop products were laid down. “It is the duty of experts to keep training farmers on simplified and best ways of preserving their harvested crops as we all know that if the farmer has no place to keep his harvested crops, he will be forced to sell them at lower prices.

“So, you, as leaders, need to stand firm so as to support the farmer,” said the minister. For her part, Iringa Regional Commissioner Amina Masenza urged farmers to ensure they joined in groups and cooperative societies for their own development including having a joint voice of protecting their interests.

She explained that many farmers were mistreated because they had no place to go to demand for their rights.

However, the Iringa RC called on institutions taking part in the shows to provide education to residents on agriculture and entrepreneurship instead of only benefiting themselves.

Earlier, in his welcoming remarks, Mbeya Regional Commissioner Amos Makalla, who was represented by Iringa DC Richard Kasesela, said the region had repositioned itself to continue being the hub of tourism, manufacturing and internal and foreign trade because it was endowed with various kinds of resources.