Dodoma. Farmers and crop traders in Tanzania earned more than Sh2.3 trillion through the Warehouse Receipt System in the 2025/26 financial year, as the Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board (WRRB) announced plans to expand the system to livestock and other products from the next financial year.
Speaking to journalists in Dodoma yesterday, WRRB Director General Asangye Bangu said the system had continued to improve farmers’ incomes, increase local government revenues and make crop trading more transparent through digital auctions.
He said in the 2025/26 financial year, a total of 1.122 billion kilogrammes of nine crops were traded through the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX), up from 781.7 million kilogrammes recorded the previous year, representing a 43.6 percent increase.
Farmers received Sh2.298 trillion from the sales, while local authorities collected more than Sh61 billion in crop levies. The total value of the traded crops reached Sh2.679 trillion.
Mr Bangu said the system currently covers 18 crops and products across 23 regions, compared with 2006 when it started with cashew nuts only, indicating growing confidence among farmers and other stakeholders.
He said the government invested Sh950 million in the 2025/26 financial year to improve information and communication technology systems, inspect warehouses, provide farmer education and purchase working equipment.
The board’s internally generated revenue also increased from Sh1.9 billion in 2023/24 to Sh5.8 billion in 2025/26, while the system contributed to the creation of 31,875 jobs across the crop value chain.
Mr Bangu said the warehouse receipt system had helped reduce exploitation by middlemen by enabling farmers to access accurate price information through digital auctions, allowing them to make informed decisions before selling their produce.
“In the past, farmers sold their crops at low prices because they lacked information. Today, they know auction prices and can decide whether to sell or wait for better prices,” he said.
He cited green gram as one of the crops that had benefited from the system, saying transparent auctions had increased competition and improved prices, giving farmers stronger bargaining power.
On crop security, Mr Bangu said WRRB had strengthened warehouse supervision and ensured that all crops stored in registered warehouses were insured against fire, theft and other risks.
He said in the event of losses, affected parties were compensated according to established procedures, while investigations were conducted to establish the causes.
“Generally, crop losses have continued to decline due to improved supervision and the use of insurance,” he said.
Mr Bangu said the board was working with crop boards and other government institutions to expand the system to more products. Plans are also underway to upgrade existing warehouses and encourage investment in modern storage facilities.
He said in the 2026/27 financial year, WRRB would introduce livestock into the Warehouse Receipt System, with the first livestock auction expected to be held in Mvomero District.
Other products expected to be included in the system are seaweed, leather and horticultural produce after completion of policy and operational preparations.
Mr Bangu said WRRB would continue improving digital systems, strengthening partnerships with financial institutions to enable farmers to access loans using warehouse receipts as collateral, and enhance efficiency in crop trading.
He urged farmers, traders and other stakeholders to register and use the system, saying it provided opportunities for transparent, competitive and secure trading while improving farmers’ incomes and supporting economic growth.
