TanTrade seeks market data to steer farm output

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA is moving to make agriculture more marketled, with the Tanzania Trade Development Authority expanding research into consumer demand, quality standards and value-chain costs to help producers target more profitable markets.

The move is intended to help farmers and other producers target products with stronger demand and improve the competitiveness of Tanzanian agricultural goods in domestic and export markets.

Speaking to journalist on Saturday TanTrade Director General Ephraim Mafuru said that the authority is conducting market research to provide producers with information they can use before deciding what and how much to produce.

“TanTrade continues to conduct market research, identify market demand, establish the required quality standards and determine the actual costs involved across the entire value chain, and then empower local producers,” Mr Mafuru said.

The strategy seeks to address a long-standing challenge in agricultural production: Producing commodities without sufficient information about available markets, prices, quality requirements and consumer preferences.

By linking production decisions to market intelligence, TanTrade expects producers to improve productivity, reduce market risks and capture more value from agricultural commodities.

The initiative follows an agreement between TanTrade and the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen efforts to identify and connect producers with domestic, regional and international markets.

The two institutions will focus on market intelligence, identifying new markets, value addition and expanding trade in strategic commodities, including grapes, honey and crops used to produce edible oils.

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The partnership is also expected to strengthen agricultural value chains by linking production with processing, value addition and market access.

For Tanzania, greater access to market information could help shift agricultural activity from a predominantly supply-led model toward production based on commercial demand.

That could increase the value earned from agricultural commodities before they reach consumers, while creating opportunities for producers to compete in higher-value domestic and export markets.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to expand agricultural trade and increase the sector’s contribution to Tanzania’s economy, in line with the country’s National Development Vision 2050.