TANZANIA – A new cereals and other produce regulatory authority that will set cap prices for various crops is expected to come into being before the end of the year.

This was said by the Cereals and Other Produce Board of Tanzania (CPB), Acting Director General, Mr John Maige in an interview with the TBC FM.

“The regulatory body is important instrument that will help farmers fetch good prices for their crops,” he said, adding that it will also be an incentive to increase production as well as reducing post-harvest losses.

There is currently competing demand for various cereals and other farm products apart from food, to be used for animal feed, breweries and exports, but farmers have continued fetching low prices for their produce.

Similarly, the rising population in the country is creating high demand and could be one of the factors putting up pressure on the supply of cereals and other products.

He said also that there is growing demand for cereals and other products by the brewing firms for making some hard liquor, but in all these scenarios farmers have never benefitted sufficiently from farming activities.

On the other hand, he said cereal board that started its operations in 2014 following the Act of Parliament of 2009 to manage the former assets of the National Milling Corporation (NMC) is actively engaging in buying and value addition of agriculture products for local and international markets.

The board shall in the performance of its commercial functions take every initiative to promote contract farming and safeguard the interest of growers.

“The government policy is currently prohibiting selling and particularly exporting unprocessed agriculture products, thus for the cereal board is the huge opportunity,” he said.

He said the board is currently finalising setting up of plants in Dodoma and Mwanza for processing and value addition of various agriculture crops before entering the markets.

Daily News