Acting Executive Director of the TIC, Raymond Mbilinyi

The Government has reiterated the need to continue putting more efforts in agricultural investment potentials as the sector is the backbone of the country’s economy.

Acting Executive Director of the TIC, Raymond Mbilinyi said in an exclusive interview recently in Dar es Salaam that his office has laid down strategies for more efforts to be concentrated in the southern highlands agricultural growth corridor.

He said the government has opened an avenue to both local and foreign investors for the sugar industry and cereals so as to increase the supply of sugar and cereals in the local market and for exports.

The measures conform to government plans to ensure effective implementation of the five year development plan from 2011 to 2015, he said, noting that horticulture and livestock development were also singled out for special facilitation.

Other areas of investments are rail, port and airports infrastructure expansion and rehabilitation to the utmost standards required, he said, noting that rehabilitation of berth 1 to 7 and 13 and 14 at the Dar es Salaam port would beef up transit trade and reduce problems faced by nearby landlocked countries.

A new railway link from Isaka and the Shinyanga dry port to Kigali in Rwanda is set for implementation, while improving the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) by rehabilitating terminal two and build terminal 3 are upmost in investment plans, he said.