DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 17 (NNN-IRIN) – State-run Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), said yesterday that, it would distribute three million Robusta coffee seedlings to farmers, free of charge, to boost production of the cash crop.
Priscus Kimaryo, acting director general of TCB, said, all preparations for the distribution of the seedlings have been made, noting that, the seedlings will be distributed to coffee growers in Kagera region, north-west of the country.
“The distribution of the Robusta coffee seedlings will be launched next week in Karenge village in Kyerwa district,” said Kimaryo. He stressed the main reason behind the distribution of the seedlings free of charge was to boost production of the cash crop.
Coffee is grown in 17 regions of Tanzania mainland.
According to the TCB statistics, coffee production in Tanzania in the past years averaged 50,000 tonnes annually, but efforts made by the government resulted in an increase in coffee production to 73,022 tonnes in the 2020/2021 coffee harvesting season.
Kagera region leads in the production of Robusta coffee, which accounts for a total of 30 to 40 percent of all coffee produced countrywide, while Ruvuma and Songwe regions lead with Arabica coffee, accounting for 44 percent of all coffee produced in the country.– NNN-IRIN
