Government position on selling food yields reiterated

Chunya. Amid the call to impose restrictions on grain exportation, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has retaliated against her government’s decision to allow the country’s farmers to sell their crop yields whenever the market presents itself.

President Hassan said this here, shortly before inaugurating a newly constructed Chunya – Makongolosi, a 39-kilometre tarmac road project but warning farmers to make sure they reserve for their household consumption.

“I just want to add on what the Agriculture minister (Hussein Bashe) has said, make sure you keep enough food for your family’s consumption and sell the surplus to any market that presents itself, the government is here to protect you,” she said.

Adding that: “You have been told that the government has created a conducive environment for the youth to venture into agriculture, just go and till the land, we are building roads and other related infrastructures that will link you with the market, make use of it.”

According to her, the said Chunya Makongolosi road, connects Mbeya region with other regions such as Singida and Tabora, but also countries in the southern and east African market.

Therefore, the President said: “Make sure you protect these infrastructures, for instance, it takes 7 – 10 years before carrying an initial maintenance to any contracted road, but it is unfortunate we carry maintenance just within two or three years after the construction.”

Adding that: “We ought to protect our infrastructures, I am told that the life span of a bridge is 70 years, for instance, there is a bridge in Kipoka, people are doing mining activities beneath, this must stop.”

Earlier, the minister responsible for agriculture Mr Bashe, said that the agriculture sector is business like any other business, adding that: “The way we respect other business, we should also do the same to the farmers, that’s why the government will not impose any restrictions when farmers sell his/her produce.”

Media reports indicated five years ago, Tanzania had banned grain exports in a bid to stem rising local prices and rein in inflation, as well as boost the country’s nascent food processing industry.

On the other hand, the minister responsible for agriculture revealed that 73 hectares of land is set aside for block farming projects in Mbeya.

whereby later in September, the said land will be cleared after which soil test will be undertaken before laying down irrigation infrastructures.

“We want to make sure 31 percent of the youth population is absorbed in the agriculture sector, Madam President, limited access to land, finance, technology and market serves as bottlenecks that hinders youth participation in agriculture thus creating more employment in the sector’s value chain.” He remarked.