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`Warehouse receipts system successful in cashewnut purchase`
2008-04-01 09:02:48
By Futuna Seleman
The current system of using warehouse receipts for the cashew nut primary cooperatives has shown positive response and relieved farmers of discrimination and exploitation by private buyers of the crop.
According to the Masasi District Commissioner, Saidi Amanzi, the crop-purchasing system has reduced, to a great extent, suffering amongst the farmers, currently said to enjoy the good prices for their produce.
``The farmers are earning profit this time round compared to the past where private buyers were discriminating them by offering low prices for the produce,`` he said.
The DC disclosed this when he spoke to Temeke Councillors who toured the district to study the implementation of crop-purchasing system.
Temeke District Public Relations Officer Joyce Msumba told this reporter that the councillors were exposed to the techniques used by cashew nut farmers in selling their produce.
Masasi DC told the visiting delegates that the system became successful when the district formed a team of experts to study how private buyers were trying to convince the farmers to reject the system.
``The team has helped to educate farmers how the crop-purchasing system works, and that they have to sell their produce through primary cooperatives,`` he said.
The district council has dished out loans amounting to 22bn/- to the primary cooperatives where farmers sell their crops according to grades. Grade A and B cashew nut currently sell at 610/- and 488/- respectively.
The newly-introduced systems has enabled the district council to collect more revenue—almost 30/- from every kilogram of cashewnut sold out.
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