Tanzania: Tunduru records Sh79 billion in cashew trade

Tunduru. A total of Sh79 billion has been generated from sales of 20,274,956 kilogrammes cashew nut in the 2017/2018 season, authorities have disclosed.

Tunduru district commissioner Juma Homera told The Citizen on Wednesday, March 7, that the district recorded a rise in cashew nut production, whereas in the 2016/17 season a total of 15,800 tonnes was sold.

“Also, the price was better in this season as compared to most previous seasons, something that improved farmers’ earnings. Most spent the money on renovating their houses and buying their children school needs,” he said.

He urged farmers with complaints, especially of not receiving their payment from the first to the eleventh auction, to submit them to his office, calling upon leaders of Tunduru and Namtumbo cooperative unions to ensure all claims are cleared by March 11.

“Leaders who fail to abide by the deadline will be arrested and face legal action,” he warned.

His deadline comes amid reports that farmers are yet to be paid their outstanding payments despite the fact that thy have been disbursed with the funds with exception to the twelfth and thirteenth auctions.

He said the government will convene a meeting of farmers, representatives of the banks; NMB, CRDB and the Tanzania Postal Bank to expose those who caused troubles to farmers.

In another development, Mr Homera has commended cooperative unions for commendable job they did during the 2017/2018 season.

He said some cooperative unions were yet to clear outstanding claims by farmers citing an example of a cooperative owing farmers a total of Sh33 million, but leaders claimed they could not trace the money’s whereabouts.

For his part, Mr Hemed Abdallah who is a farmer in the district thanked the DC for unveiling grievances facing cashew farmers.