CUF hails govt for buying cashews at Sh3,300 a kilo

What you need to know:

  • The Civic United Front has commended President John Magufuli for protecting farmers.

Dar es Salaam. The Civic United Front (CUF) has commended President John Magufuli for directing officials to buy cashew nuts at Sh3,300 a kilo, saying he aimed at protecting farmers.

Dr Magufuli recently announced that the government would purchase all cashew nuts from farmers at Sh3,300 as kilo using the military and Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank.

He issued the directive after the government issued a four-day ultimatum for traders to buy the crop at Sh3,000 a kilo or else the government would purchase the crop.

Farmers rejected prices set by dealers that were below Sh3,000 a kilo.

"Agriculture is the mainstay of the Tanzanian economy and a huge contributor to industrialisation. We support President Magufuli's decision as it will improve the living standards of cashew farmers," CUF communications and publicity director Abdul Kambaya told reporters here today, November 16, 2018.

According to him, agriculture provides 90 per cent of raw materials for industries and as the government focuses on industrialisation it is important to protect farmers.

 The party's national deputy director of organisation and elections, Mr Mneke Jafar, said cashew farmers lost a lot of money last year.

"We believe there will be no losses this year. We want the government to make this decision sustainable not only to cashew nuts but to other crops as well.

Meanwhile, CUF criticised Mr Abdallah Mtolea for resigning the party membership and a parliamentary position “on flimsy grounds”.

 

 “He has resigned just to beat the CCM’s deadline and nothing else. He cannot lie in Parliament that he was about to be kicked out of CUF," said Mr Kambaya.

He said CUF's dispute could not be the reason of doing so as no party was free of challenges.

"Shifting from one party doesn't make you wise. These defectors are nothing but self-seekers. They are not doing so to serve people," he said.

Mr Mtolea announced his resignation in Dodoma on 15 November, in Parliament, making the Temeke parliamentary seat vacant.