Sigh of relief for farmers as maize price increased
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Samia has directed that the price of maize be raised to 600 Tanzanian shillings per kilogram in rural areas and 650 shillings per kilogram in urban areas, up from 500 shillings per kilogram [2]. This move is aimed at boosting farmers’ profits and encouraging them to increase production. The government has also announced plans to establish irrigation schemes and other initiatives to improve agricultural productivity.
Recently, maize prices declined following the new harvests season amid outcry from farmers who feel that they are not making a return of investment they had made.
Concluding her four-day working visit of Katavi Region yesterday, President Samia directed the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure the new prices of maize to be purchased by NFRA are in place to benefit farmers.
She directed that NFRA should now buy maize at 600/- per kilo in rural areas and 650/- in urban areas up from 500/-.
Speaking to the residents of Kibaoni Ward in Mpimbwe District in conclusion of her visit in the region, President Samia directed Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe to ensure implementation of the directive.
Responding to the directive, Mr Bashe said that all NFRA centres are equipped with digital scales, where a farmer will receive a message on the phone about the exact weight of their maize and the actual prices to be offered.
“This will significantly help to check unfair prices provided to farmers by some unscrupulous individuals,” he noted.
Moreover, Bashe said that on September 1, this year, the indicative price for seeds will be announced in all newspapers and the government will fully manage the prices.
President Samia said that for the three days she spent in the Katavi region, she was satisfied with the area’s development and the use of funds allocated by the central government for development projects.
She said that the region has been allocated 1.2tril/- for development projects in various sectors including electricity, education, health, water and roads.
Dr Samia added that the State has continued to increase funds in the agricultural sector for the region saying the government is making more effort to increase production including establishing irrigation schemes, among others.
Former Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda asked the government to allocate 1.6bn/- to compensate residents who surrendered their land for expansion of the Mizengo Pinda Campus of Sokoine University, located in Mpimbwe, Mlele District.
He also asked the president to promote Katavi National Park in the envisaged Royal Tour Season Two as the park was highly blessed with large populations of the animals and natural vegetation.
Similarly, Mr Pinda asked for the addition of another district in the region to help bring social services closer to the people.
Responding to Mr Pinda, president Samia said the government will provide funds for the expansion of the University campus. Regarding establishment of a new district, she said the government will work on the proposal, asserting that there were many pending requests.
Source Link : https://dailynews.co.tz/sigh-of-relief-for-farmers-as-maize-price-increased/
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