Tanzanian farmers assured of maize market as DRC delegation visits

The visit followed discussions between the Tanzanian and Congolese governments on purchasing maize produced in Tanzania, led by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Gerald Mweri.

NFRA Director-General Dr Andrew Komba said selling maize to the DRC will give Tanzanian farmers a secure market and boost productivity.

“This market in the DRC will improve productivity for our farmers. We are encouraged by this development. It is the right time for farmers to increase production,” Dr Komba said.

He noted that NFRA holds sufficient reserves and is seeking markets for surplus stocks. “NFRA’s primary role is to ensure food security in the country. Currently, we have 150,000 tonnes of maize set aside for domestic supply,” he said.

Dr Komba said that the delegation inspected the quality and logistics arrangements for exporting maize to the DRC.

NFRA Advisory Board Chair, Mr John Ulanga, said the DRC has a high demand for cereals, particularly maize. “Our visit to the DRC has yielded results. We now have a clear opportunity to sell maize, which will help NFRA expand storage, purchase more from farmers, and support local economic growth,” he said.

He said that the DRC consumes large quantities of ugali and faces an annual shortfall of around three million tonnes of flour, equivalent to five million tonnes of maize. While the DRC is also engaging with other countries, Tanzania is the starting point.

Following discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture, the government will announce the volume of maize to be sold after final negotiations.

One of the delegation leaders, Tony Munongoll, said: “We are pleased to visit Tanzania at the government’s invitation. We are impressed by the progress in maize production and distribution. We also observed the good storage conditions and look forward to strengthening relations with Tanzania.”