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Coffee production still a sorry situation - research
2007-06-12 09:38:38
By Salome Kitomary, PST, Moshi
Ten years down the lane, efforts by the Kilimanjaro regional authorities to revive and increase coffee production are yet to yield positive results, an agricultural report has revealed.
The Kilimanjaro regional agricultural consultant, Idda Mkamba said an assessment conducted on the level of achievement for the past ten years has not shown the objectives are far from being attained.
She said the year 2006/07 marked the 10th year since the cash-crop (coffee in particular) revival campaign started. Among other efforts made to help improve the situation include replacement of the old coffee plants with new high-yield and disease resistant seedlings.
``Until June this year only 24 million seedlings out of the estimated 70 million have been planted across the districts in the region to replace the old coffee trees.
This is not enough and we have made projections for the coming three-year ranging between 2006/07 and 2009/2010 to meet the objectives,`` Mkamba said.
Other challenges farmers need to overcome, said the consultant, include the low market prices offered to them as opposed to high cost of farm implements, the limited extension services provided to the same and the low level of production on individual basis.
The involvement of cash crop researchers at the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute, (TaCRI) in Hai District that has established coordination network with farmers in their respective localities to help them establish coffee nurseries for the desirable yield, is worth noting.
``So far there are 131 coffee plant nurseries in Same, Siha, Hai, Moshi, Rombo and Mwanga districts with the capacity to supply over 2.5 million high-yield and resistant to disease plants.
The need for the coming five years is 15,800,000 new plants to replace the old ones,`` she clarified.
Speaking at the event, the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Mohamed Babu urged leaders at all levels to work closely with the farmers to help them get through all obstacles that prevented them from increasing production.
The projections by the government for the region are to annually produce 9,650 tonnes by 2010 from less than 5,000 tonnes harvested currently.
The minister for Trade Industries and Marketing, Basil Mramba observed during the occasion that coffee producers in many parts in the region lacked the amenities to process their crop.
He challenged TaCRI to reach more farmers in the region and nationwide to help increase coffee production, the cash crop that continues to attract the world market.
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