Government to distribute free Sugarcane seedlings

Dar es Salaam. The government is set to spend Sh1.8 billion annually on sugarcane seedling in its ambitious plan for the free distribution of high yielding varieties.

This was revealed on  Monday, July 18, by the  Agriculture minister Hussein Bashe during his tour in Kilosa District where he met with sugarcane stakeholders in response to the country’s move to revolutionise the value chain of sugarcane production, to meet country’s sugar demand.

“In alignment with the Kilombero Sugar Company expansion project, which will see a threefold increase in cane supply from small-scale growers, from the current 600,000 tonnes to 1.7 million tones. So, you need to be ready to meet your share,” Mr Bashe said.

According to him, the firm, in which the government owns 25 percent of shareholding and the rest is owned by Illovo Sugar Africa, has agreed to provide 400 hectares that will be used by Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (Tari) to establish sugarcane seedling nurseries.

“Tari will undertake research on the soil, and the type of appropriate varieties and technology, which will be introduced to the farmers, more on that, the government will provide extension services as they perform a pivotal role in encouraging farmers to adopt better farm practices and boost agricultural yields,” he noted.

Mr Bashe added: “The government will also construct irrigation infrastructure to the registered out growers, we will also make sure other infrastructure such as farm internal roads are being maintained throughout the seasons by the Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura).”

Mr Bashe who was responding to queries by the farmers, assured them that the government was determined to change the sector.

“The government will also provide appropriate and timely subsidized fertilizers and pesticides which in turn will enhance yields,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture minister called for a tri-party agreement that will involve the government, the processing plant which buys from outgrowers and financial institutions so that small scale farmers can access loans for the crop’s development.

As for the method used to determine sugar content in a sugarcane (Sucrose), which affects the amount farmer is paid, Mr Bashed said: “We need to build mutual trust. Therefore, initially, the government will deploy its officials at the site but in the long run, the measurement should be understandable by the farmers.”

Earlier, Mr Bakari Mkangamwa, a representative of Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (Amcos) said that the operating cost was high compared with the return, adding that: “We need the government to intervene as fertiliser prices are high and since we lack education on fertiliser application, we sometime incur huge losses.”

Also, Mr Mkangamwa was of the view that transparency was needed as far as a sucrose as currently farmers think they are being cheated since they do follow all the appropriate agriculture procedures that enhance sugar content.

“We also need financial institutions to recognise us and provide timely loans for the small-scale farmers as currently, and again according to the banks, we seem unqualified, because we are told one, needs to have at least 20 acres and above to qualify, yet we own one to five acres,” he appealed.

Commenting, Mr Ephraim Mafuru, the head of Corporate Affairs for Kilombero Sugar Company said: “The new expansion, which is set to complete next year, will increase sugar production by 144,000 tonnes from current levels of around 127,000 tonnes of sugar per annum, to 271,000 tonnes.”