CASHEWNUT farmers have been advised to use the right pesticides to increase production and that in turn would enable them stand at a position of competing effectively in the global market.
The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), Coordinator of Research and Innovation at Naliendele Centre, Dr Wilson Nene made the call on Tuesday during the climax of Nanenane International Exhibition that took place at the John Mwakangale ground in Mbeya Region.
"There is a huge potential for cashew farmers to boost their output and generate more revenues by making use of right pesticides," he said.
He said some farmers do not follow the directives from agriculture experts to avoid expenses, thus their cashew plants get infected by diseases ending up in losses.
"Each pesticide used on cashews is aimed at controlling certain type(s) of pest(s) or certain types of disease(s). The challenge arises when the farmer does not understand where, when and how to use a pesticide(s) resulting in not killing the insect(s) while diseases continue.
The pesticide that kills damping off is different from the one that kills Dieback, anthracnose or inflorescence blight or powdery mildew, so if the farmer confuses it, he cannot harvest the best and productive crops," he said.
The pesticides can be sprayed using a sprayer or using a special tank mounted on either a tractor or an aeroplane so that it works for its intended purpose.
Dr Nene said they have been doing research on the best cultivation of cashews starting from the field to the users so that the farmer can plant cashews, where to plant exactly for productivity, and the type of the soil as well as the weather.
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"We are focusing on value addition to enhance the productivity so that farmers can continue to cultivate cashew nuts, which has found a large market these days," said Dr Nene.
In June this year, the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania (CBT) Director General Francis Alfred said 10,180 tonnes of sulphur powder, 1.3 million litres of liquid pesticides, 5,000 motorised sprayers and 396 cashew packaging bags have arrived in Mtwara region.
He said the inputs have been delivered to main warehouses in Lindi, Mtwara and Coast regions before being distributed directly to farmers' physical locations.
"The inputs delivered into the region are directly taken to farmers' physical locations, the process is being conducted through main warehouses in Lindi Mtwara and Coast Region," he said.
Mr Alfred said they were destined for farmers who have been registered in the Farmers Registration Systems (FRS) and issued special numbers for obtaining the inputs.
He said some farmers registered in the special system have been supplied with the subsidised inputs.
He said the government has procured and purchased 49,000 tonnes of Sulphur powder, 1.3 million litres pesticides and cashew packaging bags.
