New plan to promote vanilla farming

Muheza. Muheza spice farmers have been given another opportunity to add to their range of products and thrive economically.

District Commissioner Halima Bulembo has announced a special programme to promote Vanilla farming, following a successful development of spice products in Muheza District.

Speaking during her village-to-village visit, Ms Bulembo said the crop has a great potential to boost the economy of the district residents’ income due to its value.

The crop is already grown in Kagera, Morogoro and Kilimanjaro.

Ms Bulembo said Muheza had decided to take deliberate steps to promote vanilla cultivation due to the huge profits from its sales. She said one kilogramme of the crop was sold for up to Sh800,000. But, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the price dropped to Sh450,000.

In Muheza, vanilla farming has already started, albeit on a small scale, in Amani and Bombani. Ms Bulembo said she was keen to ensure that the crop is grown by many people in the district to increase their income and boost the economy. “We will make huge profits and our economy will grow,” she stressed.

She urged farmers to seek the advice of extension officers on how to cultivate the crop.

The District Agriculture Officer, Mr Hoyange Mbwambo, said his department was planning to receive farmers, who will show interest in farming and provide them with education so that they know the areas that are suitable for the crop, how to cultivate it and the markets they will compete with.

Mr Mbwambo said the crop was not new in the district because farming had started at Amani area, but later they gave up after the companies that came to promote agriculture and promised to buy the produce left.

“We will look at the response of the initiative and see how it can provide their education and how to find a reliable market by attracting companies that will buy their products,” he said.

Currently, Mexico, Madagascar, Indonesia, Uganda, The Comoros and Papua New Guinea are the main importers of vanilla from Tanzania.

The Tanzania Horticulture Association (Taha) Agricultural Specialist from Zanzibar, Mr Ally Kamtande Ally, was recently quoted as saying that, despite the crop’s decline in price, it has a huge potential for Tanzanians to generate money compared to the production of many other crops.

Vanilla production, exports and revenue trends in Tanzania show that, between 2006 and 2015, farmers earned about Sh2 billion from exports, with the Mayawa Cooperative exporting 14.3 tonnes of dried vanilla. In 2007, 32.1 tonnes were exported. This was followed by exports of 47.1 tonnes in 2008.

In addition, 75.6 tonnes were exported, in 2009 grossing Sh244.6 million, while more than 102 tonnes were exported in 2010, earning its farmers Sh319 million.

Mayawa Cooperative exported 70.8 tonnes in 2011, valued at Sh229.4 million. A nother 35.8 tonnes were exported in 2012 for Sh147.9 million.

In 2013 and 2014, respectively, 39.2 tonnes and 27 tonnes were exported, generating Sh215.4 million and Sh213.5 million respectively. In 2015, 33.9 tonnes of treated vanilla were exported bringing in Sh406.8 million.

Production of vanilla has, however, declined in recent years with the decline attributed to the emergence of Xanthomonas disease attacking bananas which provide shade to the crop - especially in Kagera Region.

The disease resulted in the pruning of bananas, making it impossible for the vanilla to thrive in the absence of adequate shade.

The decline is also said to partly be due to falling prices in the international markets, as well as the recent Covid-19 pandemic. However, Tanzanian farmers involved of vanilla can significantly increase their income and possibly become millionaires.

An expert from the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (Tari-Uyole), Dr Daud Mbongo was also quoted as saying although the success of any matter depends on individual efforts, Tanzanians should go and produce vanilla.