MINISTER for Agriculture Hussein Bashe has warned traders who illegally import rice into the country, ordering them to stop the malpractices immediately because the acts thwart government efforts of protecting local growers.
The minister said the government is duty bound to protect local rice growers, including availing market for the crop for fair trade competition.
According to the Minister, in 2021/2022 financial year, rice was the most exported crop surpassing coffee, cotton and cashew nuts which were the leading crops in the past.
“Those traders who import the rice illegally from Thailand, should stop because they affect the government’s efforts to help local farmers,” Mr Bashe said in Dodoma during a meeting which was attended by the Regional Commissioners (RCs) to discuss effective distribution of fertilisers and better ways to improve agriculture.
The minister detailed that unscrupulous traders were importing rice through Zanzibar, noting that Tandika market in Temeke District, Dar es Salaam region was a place where the rice from Thailand was available in large quantity.
He said Thai rice has not been certified by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), imploring Wananchi to cooperate with authorities to identify importers.
“Illegal importation of rice affects the domestic market which is self-sufficient …the government cannot leave local farmers exposed to unfair competition like this,” he said.
The minister insisted that only his ministry had the mandate to issue permits to allow the importation of any agricultural produce in the country, adding that the rice imported recently from Thailand was illegal since the ministry had not issued any permit to import the produce.
Expounding the plan of the docket in developing agriculture, Mr Bashe noted that the ministry would build 62 new warehouses in the border regions to be used in storing food ready to be sold in neighbouring countries.
“A total of 31 warehouses will be built in Ruvuma region, out of the total 62 warehouses to be built …aimed at enabling the region to export more various produce outside the country,” he said.
Regarding fertiliser subsidy, the minister directed regional commissioners to take action against smugglers of subsidised fertilisers who continue to sell the agricultural input illegally.
He further instructed RCs to prioritise agriculture as they do in education sector whilst reminding them that agriculture is one of the sources of the country’s economy.
