Tanzania: Over 4bn/ - Target to Boost Edible Oil Production

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

AUTHORITIES in Dodoma are confident to meet the 4.4bn/- investment target that seeks to increase the production of edible oil in the semiarid area, a new venture that could make it an undisputable

regional hub for cooking oil.

Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Dr Binilith Mahenge, says Dodoma has the best land for groundnuts and sunflower farming, yet the two key raw materials remain under produced "and existing factories have been targeting the local market."

Kongwa District Commissioner Deo Ndejembi told the 'Daily News' yesterday that the district was committed to ensuring it met the production target.

Kongwa District, which was a key exporter of groundnuts during the colonial administration, has also ventured into massive production of sunflower. Mr Ndejembi said; "our target is to produce 30 tonnes of cooking oil daily.

The investment meets international standards and the oil produced can compete in the international market. We have major factories.

One of our refinery plants is located in Kibaigwa. It's a 1.5bn/- investment. We have over 10 other small and medium refineries in the area."

With Dodoma running to capture the regional hub for cooking oil, little, however, is known about the actual production capacity.

Stakeholders in the edible oil business have rushed to blame limited interactions between the public and private sectors.

Observers admit that should the state and none state actors work together to address the challenge of limited expertise, appropriate seeding, lack of inexpensive financing and business coordination can improve the country's potential to produce sufficient cooking oil for domestic and international markets.

Director of Finance and Administration at the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) Oliver Damasi said at a consultative meeting that the cooperation between the public and private sectors was still too slow and needed to be strengthened to bring a meaningful impact.

Meanwhile, the regional commissioner has said the government has been making reasonable investments that will spur industrial growth.

The latest investments have been the revival of the state flagship air carrier-Air Tanzania, planned construction of an international airport at Msalato and the ongoing construction of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).