Tanzania: Cashew nut processors call for support

Cashew nut stakeholders in the country have asked the government to intensify support to industries processing the crop by addressing critical challenges.

Cashewnut Board of Tanzania (CBT) Processing Manager, Simuli Yahaya speaking at a stakeholders' meeting here over the weekend, mentioned some of the challenges as shortage of processing equipment like boilers, driers, shelling and packaging machines.

"There is need for government to support us by facilitating processing activities in order to expand market for cashew nuts produced in Tanzania," he said.

According to him, this will boost living standards of stakeholders and families in regions producing the products and eventually contributing to national income.

He also explained on the importance of training small scale processors in the country purposely to meet required technological standards.

It was noted that the Cashew nut Industry Development Trust Fund (CIDT) organised a meeting aimed at brainstorming and digesting best practices that could enhance productivity of the sector, including ways to assist cashew processors to move out of traditional and old-fashioned processing methods.

Addressing the same conference, the Chairman of Southern Jumbo Cashew nuts Industry, Mr Maokola Majogo, advocated for cashew nut processing industries in Tanzania to have uniform way of processing as a way to stimulate the crop's performance on the world market.

"We want to meet international standards by having product seal that will expand our access to the international market," he said, adding that Tanzania is the third producer of cashew nut in Africa, led by Ivory Coast and Gambia.

Source: http://www.freshplaza.com/article/143002/Tanzania-Cashew-nut-processors-call-for-support