Govt invests 500m/- for cashew demo factory

MANYONI: THE government has invested over 494m/- to set up a cashew processing demonstration factory in Manyoni, Singida, aimed at boosting value addition and creating jobs, particularly for women and youths.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dr Hashil Abdallah, said at the official launch of the factory that the government has been supporting cashew farming through research, subsidised farm inputs and farmer training, adding that these efforts must go hand in hand with investments in value addition.

“Our goal is to ensure that farmers and entrepreneurs are not just sellers of raw materials, but also have the opportunity to produce highvalue products,” he said yesterday. The factory is at the Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation and Rural Technology (CAMARTEC) in Manyoni.

He said that the new factory aims to address long-standing challenges in the sector, such as lack of appropriate technology and limited practical knowledge in processing cashew nuts and cashew apples.

“Without processing factories, we’ve remained mere sellers of raw cashews— a situation that has suppressed market prices. Value-added products access broader markets and offer significantly higher profitability,” he said.

CAMARTEC Chairperson, Prof Valerian Silayo, noted that the initiative is part of broader government efforts to address challenges in processing agricultural, livestock, fisheries and forestry products.

“Through CAMARTEC, the government is advancing research to reduce postharvest losses by developing appropriate, resilient technologies for cashew processing,” he said.

Earlier, CAMARTEC Director General Eng Godfrey Mwinama explained that the factory was established following government-led research on agricultural and rural technology needs, which identified significant challenges facing small-scale farmers and processors.

“The core mission of this factory is training. It will equip Tanzanians interested in investing, self-employment, or formal jobs in cashew processing with the right technical skills,” he said.

Manyoni District Commissioner, Dr Vincent Mashinji said they will continue collaborating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other stakeholders to drive industrial growth.