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Distressed Pangani residents now ditch cashewnut farming
2007-04-13 10:50:43
By Dege Masoli, PST, Tanga
Pangani District authorities have stepped up surveillance to prevent the indiscriminate felling of cashew trees, which has become rampant in the area now for months.
It is feared if unabated, the practice would lead to total destruction of the cash crop and the environment.
The authorities have pledged to monitor the situation closely to avert further destruction of the crop and the environment.
“We will bring to justice any one caught felling the trees,” Zipora Pangani, who is the area district commissioner said.
Cashew nut growers in the district recently informed the district commissioner; they decided to cut down the cashew nut trees to avoid never-ending embarrassment during buying season.
For many years, cashew nut growers have been complaining of poor prices and refusal by buyers to use tins instead of weighing scale.
“We are frustrated. It is better to do away with the cashew farming altogether,’ one grower said.
“At the peak of the harvest season, cashew nut buyers set prices the way they want - between 150/- and 200/- a kilogramme.
Their decision does not consider the high costs of production involved,” one of the villagers complained.
During her visit to Pangani District, the DC witnessed piles of logs from cashew nut trees cut down for making charcoal.
The villagers said that cashew nut as a cash crop had never been of any help to them.
“We have so many obligations. We thought that selling the crop would earn us some money for our children to go to school.
That has never happened and the option left is to clear the fields for cultivation of other crops,” said another villager.
The DC said the government would not allow the ongoing cutting down of cashew nut tress as a solution to problems facing them.
“The best way forward is to seek audience with relevant authorities to explore reliable markets for the crop and to make efforts to ensure sustainability of the crop production for realization of profit,” the DC said.
She said cutting down trees was in itself deliberate destruction of the environment, an irresponsible act that future generation would never live to forgive.
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