Tanzania maize farmers relieved as President Samia orders higher NFRA purchase prices

TANZANIA – Maize farmers in Tanzania are set to benefit from President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s recent directive to the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to purchase maize at increased prices.

The directive, a beacon of hope for farmers, comes as a much-needed relief to those who have been grappling with declining maize prices following the new harvest season.

The NFRA will now buy maize at 600/- (US$0.23) per kilo in rural areas and 650/- per kilo in urban areas, up from the previous 500/- per kilo (US$0.19).

Concluding her four-day working visit to Katavi Region, President Samia instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the new maize prices are implemented promptly.

Addressing residents of Kibaoni Ward in Mpimbwe District, President Samia emphasized the importance of fair pricing for farmers. She directed the Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Hussein Bashe, to oversee the implementation of these new prices.

In response, Mr. Bashe assured that all NFRA centers are equipped with digital scales, allowing farmers to receive precise information about the weight and price of their maize via SMS. This measure aims to eliminate the exploitation of farmers by unscrupulous buyers.

Mr. Bashe also announced that on September 1, the government would publish the indicative price for maize seeds in all newspapers, fully managing these prices to further support farmers.

President Samia expressed her satisfaction with the development projects in the Katavi Region, which received 1.2 trillion/—(US$450.5M) for various initiatives, including electricity, education, health, water, and roads.

She highlighted the government’s unwavering commitment to boosting agricultural production through increased funding and the establishment of irrigation schemes, instilling a sense of hope and optimism in the farming community.

This comes after the president advised the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to increase its grain storage capacity to three million tonnes by 2030.

The new facilities will enhance the region’s storage capacity from the current 5,000 tonnes to 28,000 tonnes.

“This project, worth 14 billion Tanzanian shillings (US5.2M), will help the country address food insecurity and reduce post-harvest losses,” President Samia stated.

President Samia instructed the NFRA to designate the Katavi Region as a special independent zone for purchasing and storing grains. She also emphasized the importance of fair pricing by crop buyers nationwide during the grain purchasing season.

President Samia reiterated the government’s commitment to scaling up the agricultural sector, aiming to transition from subsistence farming to commercial farming.

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