TANZANIA plans to embark on a fresh bid to heighten production of improved seed varieties for edible oil- raw crops to help quenching skyrocketing demand and existing deficit in the sector.
The crops in question include sunflower, palm oil, grandnuts and sesame.
Tanzania faces an annual edible oil deficit of approximately 350,000 metric tonnes and spends an estimated US$500 million each year on imports to meet the country’s growing demand.
To that end, the Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA) is contemplating to venture into a serious strategy to improve the multiplication of the edible oil- hatching kernels, and strengthening their distributions to the farmers.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ASA, Eng. Innocent Masaka, yesterday told the publication at the ongoing agriculture show in Dodoma Capital City that the state- owned agency has developed a helpful viable system to boost multiplication and distribution of the improved seeds.
He informed that, in the current season, the agency is looking forward to produce between 1200 and 1300 tonnes of edible- oil producing seeds, saying however, the coming season will witnessing the production reaching up to 1900 tonnes.
“We’re required to scale- up production to the tune of at least 2500 tonnes in order to place the country in a better position to quench the surging demand for edible oil,” he detailed.
However, Eng. Masaka unveiled that as per the government – set target, the agency is required to advance general production of seeds up to 28,500 tonnes by 2030.
To ensure the seeds reaches out to all farmers, and in proper time, he said the agency will cementing its woorkimg sync with the Tanzania Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA).
Tanzania has significant potential to become self-sufficient in edible oil production because of its favorable climate and large areas suitable for oilseed cultivation.
However, domestic production still falls short of national demand, making the country a net importer of edible oils.
Among the country’s main edible oil crops include, sunflower (the dominant oilseed crop), Oil palm, groundnuts, sesame, soybeans, cottonseed, and coconut.
Sunflower is Tanzania’s leading edible oil crop, with major production based in regions such as Singida, Dodoma, Manyara, Tabora, and Shinyanga.
The government considers the sunflower industry a strategic sector for reducing edible oil imports and boosting agro-industrial development.
Despite growing production, Tanzania currently meets only a fraction of its edible oil demand through local production.
National demand is estimated at about 700,000 metric tonnes annually, while domestic production supplies only about 28.6 percent of that demand, leaving a substantial deficit that is covered through imports.