Handeni, Chinese firm ink cassava plant deal

Dar es Salaam. The Handeni District Council in Tanga region has signed an agreement with a Chinese company, China Canton Investments Limited, to construct a cassava processing factory. The Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC)senior public relations officer, Ms Latifa Kigoda, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

The facility whose capacity is to process at least 200 tonnes of cassava will be constructed to the tune of $10 million (about Sh22.5 billion), according to the statement.

The statement further said at least 400,000 tonnes of processed cassava would be transported to China annually when the factory starts operating. Speaking during the signing ceremony, the company’s director, Mr John Rwehumbiza, said upon completion of the construction, the factory would need at least 1.6 million tonnes of raw materials. Mr Rwehumbiza called on cassava growers to consider increasing cassava production.

of the raw material in order to feed the factory.

He further expounded that the company was also determined to organise a free training with a view to equipping the cassava growers with modern agricultural methods to enable them to increase their yields.

For his part, the Handeni District Council Director, Mr William Mafukwe, assured of his office’s commitment to cooperate with the investors to make the project successful.

On the other hand, the Handeni District Commissioner, Mr Godwin Gondwe, further assured the investors of more investment opportunities in the district, saying there was sufficient land for investment in other key sectors of industry and education.

“I take this opportunity to welcome investors to explore more investment opportunities in the district. My office is committed to cooperate with them,” said Mr Gondwe.

This will be the first large-scale investment project to be implemented in the district’s soil by the Chinese firm, according to the TIC’s public relations officer, expressing her optimism the project will help the country toward its ambitious drive of attaining a middle-income economy status.

For his part at same occasion, Handeni District Council Director Mr William Mafukwe assured of his office’s commitment to cooperate with the investors to make the project successful.

On the other hand at same occasion, the Handeni District Commissioner Mr Godwin Gondwe further assured the investors of more investment opportunities available in the district, saying there was sufficient land available for investment in other key sectors of industry and education.

“I take this opportunity to welcome investors to explore more investment opportunities in the district. My office is committed to cooperate with them,” said Mr Gondwe.

This will be the first large-scale investment project to be implemented in the district’s soil by the Chinese firm, according to the TIC’s public relations officer, raising her optimism in her statement saying that a completion of the megaproject would foster government’s desire to achieve a middle-income economy status.