Tanzania: Government Set to Turn Grapes Into Strategic Cash Crop

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

THE Minister of Agriculture, Japhet Hasunga, has said the government is planning to include grapes among key economic strategic crops in order to stimulate industrial growth in the country.

The minister expressed the government intention recently when he made a field visit to grape block farms at the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (TARI)'s Makutupora centre in Dodoma.

According to the minister, his ministry was implementing a major strategy of identifying and promoting all key economic crops in order to allow the country to rip economic benefits.

"We are planning to earmark all potential areas for the establishment of large grape plantations, and this will open fresh doors for increased job opportunities among the youth in the country," he noted.

He tasked TARI to work round the clock in order to conduct more useful research for innovating and introducing improved grape seedlings.

Briefing the minister, the Director General for TARI, Dr. Geofrey Mkamilo, spoke of challenges they face in getting deserved funds for developing cultivation of the crop in Tanzania.

"We're trying hard to seek for enough financial support to advance grapes farming, but most donors are seemingly shunning away in giving out support as is the case with other crops," he insisted.

As part of the centre's efforts to spur performance of the sector, he said, TARI was in the process of introducing into the country at least 13 new wine grape varieties from South Africa.

In further efforts to boost the wine sector, the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) has so far injected TARI- Makutupora Centre with at least 297.906m/- for general renovation of the centre's laboratory.

Tanzania is placed second after South Africa for brewing best wines within the continent, and there are only two wine grape varieties grown in the country, which are Makutupora Red and Chenin White, a situation which limits the country's ability to produce wider varieties of wines.

Being the country's grapes and wine hub, Dodoma region is currently with at least three major wine factories- Aliko Vintage Co. Ltd, Central Tanganyika Wine Company (CETAWICO), and Dane Holding Company (DHC), and five other smallscale plants scattered at different locations under ownership of farmers associations.