TANZANIA local companies yesterday signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eight Chinese firms to import food processing machines used for adding value to wheat flour, sesame, rice, groundnuts and flour meal.

The East African Commercial and Logistic Centre (EACLC) Director General Ms Cathy Wang said that out of the eight companies one has already sealed a deal to start importing the machines.

She said they have already communicated with the manufacturer in China to start manufacturing machines so that the products could soon be brought in the country.

Briefing journalists at the 46th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), Ms Wang said the machines would increase the speed of processing and add value to the grains.

"The machines can carry about 3 - 5 tonnes and production capacity is 20 tonnes per day," Wang said adding these machine will be cheap compared to the heavy work almost and will be sold for between 10m/- and 18m/- .

Ms Wang said this year's exhibition has realised that agricultural machineries have huge market potential due to high demand from the country's agriculture sector.

"We are going to conduct an assessment to see how much we have achieved so that we can continue to improve our products in the next exhibition," she said.

A total of 53 Shandong enterprises participated in DITF to strengthen the existing friendship between Tanzania and China.

On his part the Land and Human Settlement Development Deputy Minister Mr Ridhwani Kikwete commended China for bringing products that attracted local customers.

Mr Kikwete said on behalf of other ministries and the government in general, they are happy that products brought are on demand for farmer's utilisation.

He noted that to continue to strengthen the bilateral relationship with China, more foreign firms are needed to partner with the private sector and the government organisation to expand business in the country.