Tanzania: Coast Region Cashew Auctions Launched

By Harriet Kiama

Coast Regional Commissioner (RC), Eng. Evarist Ndikilo has launched cashewnuts auctions in Mkuranga District while emphasizing that farmers' payments are ...

disbursed within ten days.

During the event also attended by district commissioners, district councils' chairpersons, district executive directors and representatives from Cashewnut Board of Tanzania (CBT), the RC witnessed the auction process and commended Alpha Choss Company that pledged to buy all grade one cashewnuts at 2,571/-per kilogram and CDJKL Company purchase all grade two at 2,300/-per kilogram.

The second auction was expected to take place on Wednesday with the RC directing CBT Manager for Dar es Salaam and Coast region to seek permission from the responsible ministry to allow cashewnuts which do not qualify for the first and second grades to be sold through auctioning at Agricultural and Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS).

"The government is working tirelessly to ensure all cashewnuts farmers are paid without delay. We must play our part to support the government efforts to see this is achieved and move on with the preparations for the coming season," he said.

Eng. Ndikilo also used the opportunity to remind district commissioners to be in charge in supervising farming activities and applying bylaws to deal with the farmers who do not take proper care of their farms which result in poor harvest.

Earlier, the RC chaired the regional cashewnuts stakeholders and assured the farmers who have not yet received their payments that they would get paid after completion of verification exercise.

The launching of the auctions is a good sign to the ongoing exercise of cashewnuts marketing through Warehouse Receipt System since it will pave way for other districts in the region to follow the similar method of in selling their cashewnuts.