DODOMA: THE Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) has successfully managed to propel impressive improvement in the country’ s avocado production sector.
Through the implementation of various interventions in cooperation with a record number of local and international stakeholders, the sector has witnessed smooth metamorphosis in productivity, value addition as well as exportation, according to SAGCOT’s Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Kirenga.
He was optimistic that with the growing collaboration in the concerted efforts to promote the crop among key stakeholders in Tanzania, more success is going to be experienced.
“As you can see, in this pavilion here there are over 60 SAGCOT’s stakeholders who are engaged in various avocado sub- sector, including a total of 18 agro companies, specifically for depicting various issues continuing in the avocado value addition chain in the country, including seeds production, as well as processing of avocado oil,” he said.
He added that SAGCOT has so far worked to empower small scale farmers to grow and expand their production, but also in searching and linking the farmers to reliable markets.
“Through partnership with the stakeholders, we have also managed to impart to farmers the needed agronomic practices for the professional cultivation of avocado, from preparation of plantations, use of improved seeds, pesticides management and managing post-harvest losses and processing” he said.
He added that SAGCOT has also managed to assist avocado growers to adopt to the use of modern farming implements, together with other key facilities to support the crop’s professional storage and processing.
He informed that there are at least four best varieties of avocados, two being most farmer’s favourite, Bacon and Hass, saying the target was to attain the needed productivity.
“For instance, as per the needed productivity, one avocado tree is supposed to produce between 15 and 30kg, but there is a possibility for the farmers to yield up to between 150 to 300kg per one tree, the development which enables farmers to fetch huge profits in the market,” he said.
The crop, he said, is currently grown in many regions across the country, including Njombe, Iringa, Rukwa, Katavi, Kigoma and Morogoro (200 acres).
“We’re now expanding the crop in Ruvuma Region where there is a total of 600 hectares that have been planted with avocado under SAGCOT supervision,”
“Avocado production keeps on expanding in Tanzania, creating prestigious economic opportunities for the farmers to benefit accordingly through cultivating, but also venturing into value addition,” Kirenga added.
He said currently there is a total of 25,000 tonnes which is exported outside the country.
Kirenga said the target was to ensure the country produce and exports between at least 200,000 and 250,000 tonnes within ten years.
“Demand for avocado in the world market keeps on mounting, formerly we used to export to European markets, but currently we also export in India and soon we will start to reach out to China and South Africa markets,” he said.
Throughout the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) and Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) he said diverse interventions are being executed to heighten performance of the economic sub- sector.
He said SAGCOT was bridging efforts with the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TANTRADE) to ensure enough investment in the sector.
“The other impressive development which is currently taking shape in the sector is on nutrition, there has been a growing trend in the use of avocado and its other products in the majority of people’s daily meals,” he said.
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The Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) Initiative is a Public-Private Partnership initiated at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa (WEFA) Summit in Dar es Salaam in 2010.
Its implementation period runs for 20 years up to 2030. Its ultimate objective is to boost agricultural productivity, improve food security, reduce poverty and ensure environmental sustainability through the commercialisation of smallholder agriculture.