TANZANIA has secured an opportunity to export 200,000 tonnes of pigeon peas to India with effect from this month to March, next year.
During the period, local pigeon peas traders will export the produce to the Indian market with zero custom duty, according to the Tanzania High Commissioner to India, Anisa Mbega.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily News, the diplomat said Tanzania has been exporting various agricultural produce to India with the Tanzania High Commission in the Asian nation fostering cooperation between the two countries for local farmers to secure a reliable market for various crops at good prices.
“We have successfully managed to convince India’s authorities to allow importation of pigeon peas from Tanzania with a nil rate of customs duty. Now, Tanzanian traders are invited to export 200,000 tonnes of pigeon peas until March, 2023,” the High Commissioner Mbega told the Daily News.
India produces 17 million tonnes of perennial legume related crops while its annual demand stands at 23 million tonnes.
The remaining deficit which amounts to 6 million tonnes is being addressed through importation, an opportunity that Tanzanian farmers will now exploit by exporting 200,000 tonnes until March, next year.
The trade volume between Tanzania and India is projected to hit 6 billion US dollars (equivalent to 14tri/-) in the next financial year (2023/2024).
The projection follows a successful trade volume growth which reached 4.5 billion US dollars (equivalent to 10.5tri/) last year.
The trade balance report for the financial year 2022/2023 indicates that India’s trade volume towards Tanzania hit 2.3 billion US dollars (equivalent to 5.34/- tri/-).
The increase in India’s exports to Tanzania is equivalent to 51 per cent while Tanzania exported commodities to India worth 2.2 billion US dollars (5.15 tri/-, an increase of 49 per cent.
Tanzania exports gold, copper, coal, cashews, avocado and soya beans while India imported from Tanzania petroleum products, both organic and inorganic chemicals.
