Nairobi — Tanzania will soon commercialise its subsistence fruit farming for export to multinational supermarkets.

To prepare for this, small scale farmers will study international and regional markets to facilitate contracts with superstores like Safeway Morrison, Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer, Tesco, and Woolworths (SA).

They will learn consumer preferences and gain better understanding of the operational laws.

The establishment of tropical fruit production is a step towards commercialisation of agricultural in Tanzania. Farmers are expected to earn $30 from each mango tree a year.

The $2 million project will begin this season. It will strengthen the capacity of smallscale farmers and help them produce vegetables and fruits for export. Infrastructure will be enhanced to help them meet the strict export requirements.

More than 600 farmers in Coast Region (Pwani), Zanzibar and Tabora will be benefit.

They will have access to funds to develop and pilot horticultural outgrower schemes for the export, mainly to East Africa.

Ally Mchumo, managing director of the Common Fund for Commodities, said in Dar es Salaam last week that the project will focus on yellow passion, low fibre mango and vegetables produced with modern technologies, improved planting material and better farming methods.

He said the project aims at increasing the number of players in tropical fruit agriculture.

"It's a 'win-win' situation. Outgrowers and smallscale farmers will take part in a highly dynamic international business, giving them better returns," he said.

Horticulture and floriculture have, since the mid-1990s, been the top non-traditional exports.

In 2003, the exports amounted to around $12million, or 1.1per cent of total exports. The main market is Europe.

Customs statistics from the Tanzania Revenue Authority show that about $10.6 million of the total $12million exports were destined for Europe.

In 2003, regional trade mainly with Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo made up the balance of $1million.

Floriculture made up half of Tanzania's total exports of $6.1 million, sold mostly to Europe. Cuttings fetched about $3.8 million and are the main floricultural exports, followed by roses, at $2.2 million.

Vegetable exports accounted for $5.4 million -- also, mostly to Europe. Peas were the main products.

Regional trade in vegetables amounted to $0.8 million. Fruits were at $0.5 million, almost half of which were dates destined for the United Kingdom.

Guy Sneyers, chief operations officer of CFC in Dar es Salaam, said last week that many tropical fruits are cultivated but only a small percentage is exported.

He said the majority of fruits are for domestic and regional consumption, adding that the sector is poorly organised.

"The quality is very good, but it is not standardised," he said.

"The project will identify the markets while outgrower farmers will design their own cropping programme to match the demand," he said.

Other hurdles that the programme will address include poor quality of produce, small hectarage under production, limited technical know-how and lack of proper infrastructure -- pack houses, water sources for irrigation, transport and cooling systems.