According to data from the Agriculture ministry, the value of crop exports increased to $2.3 billion in the year to December 2023 from $2.1 billion recorded in 2020/21. The 9.5 percent increase has mainly been attributed to exports of coffee, tobacco, cashew nuts, rice, sesame, legumes and horticultural produce, especially avocados.
Avocado exports increased from 17,711.49 tons worth $51 million in 2020/21 to 26,826.3 tons valued at $77.3 million in 2023. Agriculture minister Hussein Bashe: "Avocados were exported to the Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, Belgium, Russia, Germany, Norway, South Africa, India and the United Arab Emirates. In 2024, Tanzania will start exporting avocados to China."
The production of food crops increased to 20,402,014 tons from 17,148,290 tons during the period under review. The 19 percent increase played a key role in enabling Tanzania to become self-sufficient in food. "Production of commercial crops such as cashew nuts, cotton, pyrethrum, coffee, tobacco, tea, sisal, sugar and cocoa rose from 983,177 tons in 2020/21 to 1,291,006.64 tons in the year to December 2023. This represented a 31.3 percent increase," Bashe says.
Production of horticultural crops such as flowers, fruits, spices and vegetables increased from 7,304,723 tons to 7,723,115.66 tons after Tanzania accessed more foreign markets.
Source: thecitizen.co.tz