Markets found for grape juice
Farmers collect grapes after harvesting in Dodoma in 2014. The TIB Development Bank will provide Sh729 million loans for constructing two major ultra-modern grape processing plants. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Currently, grape farmers in Bahi and Chamwino districts are elated with the news that the TIB Development Bank will soon provide about Sh729 million loans for constructing two major ultra-modern grape processing plants.
Dodoma. If all goes well, Dodoma will this year start selling millions of litres of grape juice to Kenyan and South African wine companies.
Currently, grape farmers in Bahi and Chamwino districts are elated with the news that the TIB Development Bank will soon provide about Sh729 million loans for constructing two major ultra-modern grape processing plants.
Speaking with The Citizen here yesterday, Bahi District agricultural officer Jovin Bararata said vast markets had been secured in the two countries.
“TIB has already assured to inject the money for the projects,” he said. He, however, appealed to the government to back the mission, saying the project would play a major role in improving the country’s economy.
The farmers in the two districts have requested about Sh1.3 billion and Sh0.3 billion loans from TIB and the Unit Trust Tanzania respectively.
Chamwino District agricultural officer Godfrey Mnyamale said during the first phase, farmers in the district received financial support from the CRDB Bank to grow more than 300 hectares of grapes, adding that the farms were proceeding well. The projects to be implemented in Bahi and Chamwino districts will see grapes farmers introduced to farm inputs.
