MTWARA: THE Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board (WRRB) directly paid up to 274bn/- to farmers engaging in producing crops that are under the warehouse licensing system in Mtwara Region in 2022/2023, it has been revealed.
The crops that are under the system include sesame, chickpeas and cashew nuts.
Speaking during the launching of the licensing system warehouse in Nanyumbu District, Mtwara Region where President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan officiated at the event, Acting Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board Managing Director Asange Bangu said the board, during the 2022/2023 financial year, produced receipts for 17,000 tons of sesame, 16,000 tons of chickpeas and 93,000 tons of cashew nuts in Mtwara Region during the past season.
“The amount of 274bn/- was paid directly to farmers. We are able to get all this data since we are using the warehouse licensing system now,” he said.
Mr Bangu noted that the prices of sesame and chickpeas have been rising recently, giving an example of the price of chickpeas which has risen from 500/- per kilogramme before the warehouse licensing system to 2000/- now.
“We had a challenge on the price of cashew nuts due to the fact that the market was not good the last season, but we anticipate to do better during the next season,” he expressed optimism.
Mr Bango said the plan of the board is to roll out the warehouse licensing system throughout the country as part of its efforts to ensure that the system benefits many farmers.
For his part, Tanzania Initiative for Preventing Aflatoxin Contamination (TANIPAC) Coordinator Clepin Josephat, during the event, said that the TANIPAC project which is worth 78.9bn/- is jointly funded by the government in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB).
According to Mr Josephat, the programme will be implemented in both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.
The main objective of this project is to minimise aflatoxin occurrence in the food system attained through an integrated approach with the overall impact of improving food safety and food security, hence improving the health and nutrition of the communities, agricultural productivity and trade.
“So far we have built 14 warehouses in general, 12 in the mainland Tanzania and the remaining two in Zanzibar. All the warehouses have been completed and are to the highest standards,” he said.
Source : Daily News
