THE country’s tea industry has registered remarkable achievements after the successful introduction of tea farming in the Northern Tarime District of Mara Region.
Mr Mustafa Umande, the Director General for Tanzania Small Holders Tea Development Agency (TASHTDA), has confirmed that a tea processing factory has already been set up in Tarime which becomes the 11th tea growing district in the country.
Nearly 500 farmers have started tea farming in various parts of Tarime and the number is expected to increase sharply following the availability of the factory, according to agriculture experts.
«The factory is now ready for use and we urge many people to turn to tea farming because the market is now available,» Mr Umande told the ‘Daily News’ shortly after attending a high profile tea stakeholders’ meeting at a hotel in Tarime over the weekend.
There is over 60 hectares of tea farms whose leaves are mature for plucking (harvesting) in the area. «Our target is to have 500 hectares come 2015 that will meet the demand of the factory. There are several tea growing districts but Tarime is now our priority,» the director general said.
The Tea Research Institute of Tanzania (TRIT) says Tarime District has suitable climate and soils for tea farming. The entire district is also said to be suitable for the production of Arabica coffee and it remains the giant producer of coffee across the lake zone regions of Mara, Mwanza and Geita, according to Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) Introduction of tea as an additional cash crop in Tarime is seen by the majority as a good step that might help to end illegal cultivation of bhang in the area.
Some of the targeted villages are those notorious for cultivating bhang in the district that is known for frequent clan clashes, something which triggered formation of a special police zone in the area. Much effort will now be directed towards equipping farmers and extension officers with tea growing skills, in a bid to expand production of the cash crop in almost the entire district that also leads on coffee production in Mara Region.
«Trainings to farmers and extension officers will start next month (April) and we have also discussed and agreed on establishment of tea leaves collection stations,» Mr Umande further said. The meeting was also attended by the Tea Research Institute of Tanzania (TRIT) Executive Director, Dr Emmanuel Simbua; farmers’ representatives and senior agriculture officials based in Tarime including Mr Silvanus Gwiboha, who is in charge of agriculture department in the area.
Tarime District Commissioner (DC), Mr John Henjewele welcomed the efforts, pledging full cooperation. The DC expressed optimism that the introduction of tea will significantly help to boost the economy of the district which is also blessed with abundant gold, though majority of its area residents still live below poverty datum line with some living in rural areas reportedly with a single meal per day.
Source: allafrica.com/stories/201303250142.html
