The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
24 July 2008
editorial
Agriculture and Food Security minister Stephen Wasira has outlined measures intended to make Tanzania gain from rising food prices in the world market. The crucial aspect about the plan is raising production by close to 800,000 tonnes, which, according to ministerial experts, is possible if other envisaged measures are taken.
That is a laudable goal. While the minister's objectives looked too optimistic by certain accounts, there is increasing evidence that Tanzania is already the main grain basket in the region, and potentially this can only further improve. President Jakaya Kikwete said late last week that Tanzania would export 4,000 tonnes of maize to Kenya following a request by the neighbouring country's government.
As the minister stated, a number of short-term measures can allow the country to benefit from the roaring trade in grain, but one aspect which he did not perhaps dwell sufficiently on its possible impact is the nature of market transactions envisaged.
There is a tendency at the moment to curb exports except where the Government feels it can part with the grain, which depresses prices and curbs expansion of farms. This needs to be rectified as farm expansion makes up for all cross-border exports.
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