Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) has unveiled its plan to revive its Moshi Malting Plant next year that halted its operations in 2017, a move geared to benefit barley farmers.
This was unveiled by the TBL Agricultural Specialist in Monduli District, Arusha Region over the weekend during a TBL's organised Farmers' Field Day, which carried the theme, 'Smart farming for stronger value chain'.
"The revival of TBL Moshi Plant will see its capacity of processing barley shoot to 30,000 tonnes a year from 15,000 tonnes previously," he said.
In attendance of the event were key stakeholders including barley farmers, TBL representatives, financial institutions, insurers, extension officers and scientists involved in the development of agricultural techniques and new seed stock.
"The company reached the decision to halt operations of the Moshi plant due to operational costs as the plant was using out-dated technology, but now the company has decided to revive the plant next year and start operations using new-age technology which means we will manage to minimize operational costs and increase capacity of processing barley from 15,000 tonnes a year to 30,000 tonnes.
However, the increase will be in phases, meaning next year we will start with 12,000 tonnes and the following year increase up to 18,000 tonnes and so forth until attaining 30,000 tonnes.
Mr Msechu said also that the brewery company halted operations of the plant in Moshi due to high operation costs particularly water and energy running costs owing to the fact that the plant was using out-dated technology.
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"This presents a profitable opportunity to barley farmers, hence we encourage the farmers to increase barley production as TBL will continue to purchase barley from them upon the revival of the plant, and with this development, we will continue to empower the farmers," he said.
He added, "At TBL, we believe in the power of leveraging partnerships for sustainable development. This Farmers Fields Day that we have been organising annually for several years now, is therefore, a networking opportunity for our sorghum and barley farmers, we believe these interactions will provide them with the requisite knowledge to address some of the challenges that they currently face in the field, ".
He further noted that TBL is keen on empowering farmers by not only providing reliable markets for the crops but also providing them with the necessary skills that enables them to utilize smart and sustainable agricultural practices that will see them grow further and ultimately increase their contribution to national coffers as per President Samia Suluhu Hassan's Ajenda 10/30 campaign.
Monduli District Administration Officer, Catherine Moshi who was represented Monduli District Commissioner, Ms Frank Mwaisumbe said boosting barley production and the agricultural sector at large, is a government priority and that is why the government recently launched the Ajenda 10/30 campaign, all in efforts to improve this sector and its contribution to the economy.
