Tanzania sugar production increases by 16 per cent says government
What you need to know:
- Deputy Minister for Agriculture Mr Omary Mgumba told the Parliament on Monday that sugar production has increased from 359,219.25 tonnes in 2018/19 from 307,431.26 in 2017/18 which is equivalent to 16.8 per cent of the increment.
Dodoma. Sugar production in Tanzania has increased by 16.8 per cent as the manufacturers try to fill the gap, the government has said.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture Mr Omary Mgumba told the National Assembly that the production has increased from 307,431.26 tonnes in 2017/18 to 359,219.25 tonnes in 2018/19.
The increase happened at the time the government allowed the manufacturers to import the sugar gap instead of traders who were doing the same previously.
"The production of sugarcane has also increased from 568,083 tonnes in the 2017/18 to 708,460 tonnes in 2018/19 season," said Mr Mgumba.
He was responding to a question by Mr Saed Kubenea (Ubungo-Chadema) who said the move to allow sugar manufacturers to import sugar would kill sugarcane farming especially for the outgrowers.
Mr Mgumba allayed the fears stating that even the outgrower income was improving.
He cited an example of Kilombero outgrowers' income which Mr Mgumba said had increased from Sh48.1 billion in 2017/18 season to Sh68.7 billion in 2018/19.
