Mtwara farmers reaped 274bn/- from Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board during 2022/2023 FY

The Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board (WRRB) paid up to 274bn/- to farmers in Mtwara region directly engaged in producing crops that are under the warehouse licensing system, including sesame, chickpeas and cashew nuts during 2022/2023 Financial Year.

Speaking at the launch of the warehouse Licensing system building in Nanyumbu District, Mtwara Region where the President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hasssan officiated as Guest of Honor, the Acting Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board Managing Director Asange Bangu said his board during the 2022/2023 financial year produced 17,000 tons of sesame, 16,000 tons of chickpeas and 93,000 tons of cashew nuts in Mtwara region during the past season.

“The amount of 274bn/- was paid directly to farmers. We are able to get all this data since we are using the warehouse licensing system now,” he said.

Bangu noted that the prices of sesame and chickpeas have been rising recently noting an example of the price of chickpeas which has risen from 500 shillings per kilo before the warehouse licensing system to 2000/- now.

“We had a challenge on the price of cashew nuts due to the fact that the market was not good the last season, but we anticipate to do better during the next season,” said Bangu.

Bango urged that plan of his board is to escalate the warehouse licensing system throughout the country as part of its efforts to ensure that the system benefits many farmers across the country.

On his part the Tanzania Initiative for Preventing Aflatoxin Contamination (TANIPAC) Coordinator Clepin Josephat during the event said that the TANIPAC project which is worth 78.9bn/- is jointly funded by the Government of Tanzania in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and will be implemented in both the Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.

“So far we have built 14 warehouses in general, 12 in the mainland Tanzania and the rest in Zanzibar. All the warehouses have been completed and are at the highest standards,” he said.

Josephat said that project under his institution in Nanyumbu district, Mtwara Region has been built in a modern way and has modern facilities noting that it will also be operated with the warehouse licensing system.