EPZA urges investors to start cashew processing firms in agency's zones

Zawadi Nanyaro, EPZA Director for Investment Promotion and Facilitation

The Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) has urged investors to begin undertaking cashewnut processing activities and promised to help anyone who will be ready to start such factories in their areas.

Tanzania has few cashew processing industries and this leads to selling the crop in raw form and at a low price tag.

EPZA Director for Investment Promotion and Facilitation, Zawadia Nanyaro told journalists at the cashewnut stakeholders’ meeting held in Dar es Salaam this week that still Tanzania has few such industries, the situation she said derails the development of the sub sector.

“This is one of the major cash crops in this country; its development should be supported by establishing industries,” she observed.

She said EPZA encourages both local and foreign investors to take advantage of facilities offered by the authority and establish industries and for this case, cashew processing ones.

She noted that when foreign investors come they also help locals in terms of technology transfer and expertise and therefore development.
“We are happy for this meeting, we have used it to give people what EPZA can offer and welcomed them,” she explained.

She said that over 90 per cent of cashewnuts produced in Tanzania are exported in raw form and that this denies the farmers their right value.

On his part, the Vice Chairman of Africa Cashewnuts Alliance, Maokola Majogo said there is a need for the government and other stakeholders to ensure that farmers get reliable markets for their produce.

“This is a very crucial crop for the southern regions and Tanzania in general, This is the cause to support it for the good of the nation,” he said.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Markets, Christopher Chiza said the Southern regions have the capacity to produce 154,000 tonnes of cashewnuts per annum and that it is the aim of the government to reach 300,000 tonnes per year.

“We want to reach a stage where whenever such crops like cashewnuts, tobacco, and cotton experience problems with markets out there, the government will chip in to bail out the farmers,” he said.

He said such measures will enable production to continue and bring in stability because such crops are vital for development.

Up to now EPZA has managed to establish a total of 72 industries which are operational in the country.

By facilitating establishment of such industries, the agency has created a total of 28,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect ones. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN