Major reforms awaits CPB

THE Board of Directors of Cereals and Other Produce Board (CPB) has said that major reforms await the cereal and produce sector, as it intends to allocate 100bn/- for purchasing crops from farmers.

CPB also encouraged farmers across the country to cultivate more crops in this season, to effectively utilise the opportunity in which the crops will be bought at market price.

Speaking here yesterday after the board concluded a tour of its projects in Mwanza , a board member who represented CPB Board Chair, Mr Kapenjama Ndile, said the reforms will be the first in the board.

“We are going to undertake major reforms  in the cereal and produce sector … we are going to buy  crops from farmers through the 100bn/- which will be allocated for the purpose,” Mr Ndile said.

He called upon farmers to use the opportunity by cultivating more crops that will be purchased at market price, thus improving the livelihoods of farmers.

“CPB   has been beneficial to farmers through crop purchasing and value addition through   its factories located in some regions in the country,” he said.

Mr Ndile said that, the first priority is food and food security that is why the   government formed the CPB to ensure food security.

He further said that,  the  board is proceeding with construction of  factories  including cassava processing factory  which will be constructed in  Mwanza  and another factory will be built in  Handeni, Tanga Region.

Mr Ndile said CPB will continue to undertake expansion of available factories and employ experts in order to broaden production scope to sell the products within and outside the country.

“We have other factories in Arusha for processing maize and wheat and another one in Iringa   for processing maize and in Dodoma for processing sunflower and maize,” Ndile said.

Another board member, Mr Fadhili Ngajilo, said that the board is determined to bring major changes   to Tanzanians by opening business doors through CPB.

He detailed that currently the board has set up a system of identifying crop middlemen as formal businessmen in order to ease business between farmers and CPB.

“CPB has entered into   business competition by trading with other nations thus we’re looking to improve to international standards,” he said.

David Shambwe, another board member said that farmers should increase production because the institution is there for them.

“There will be contracts for farmers… these documents are crucial because they can access loans from the financial institutions,” Shambwe said.

He said the contracts will cover various crops including wheat, maize, paddy, and sunflower.

Shambwe called upon primary cooperatives to encourage farmers to cultivate many crops because they will have guaranteed market for their produce.