The government of Tanzania is instituting a framework to register avocado purchasers and their agents. This initiative aims to curb exploitative practices within the sector by integrating all entities into a centralized registry, as per the declaration by the Director General of the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA), Ms. Irene Mlola.
Ms. Mlola stated, "The government wants to ensure that buyers are registered and their agents identified and recognised. This will help protect our farmers from being exploited." This statement was made in a discussion with agricultural cooperative members in Dodoma.
The policy mandates regulated purchasing at designated centers rather than farm-level transactions, intending to eliminate disorder and promote systematic trading practices. Ms. Mlola remarked, "Any buyer or agent found violating the government's avocado trade guidelines, including cases involving cheating or underpaying farmers, would have their licences revoked."
Under the new scheme, trading will align with formally scheduled harvest periods. Farmers must collaborate with the government and allow COPRA oversight on trade and avocado grading protocols to secure their interests.
The initiative comes in response to unilateral price setting by buyers, which Ms. Mlola labeled as "unfair and unacceptable." The government's intervention is part of a broader strategy to reorganize agricultural marketing, ensuring equitable farmer compensation, particularly in the avocado sector.
Source: Daily News
