An official of Tanzania’s Agriculture Ministry has said there are about one lakh hectares area reserved for allowing farming through foreign direct investment which Indian entrepreneurs can consider as Chinese companies present in the African country are eyeing to expand their presence.
Tanzania also wants the 2 lakh tonnes (lt) per year unrestricted import of pigeon peas (tur) at zero duty by India to be extended to other pulses such as gram (chana) and green gram (moong) with an overall limit of 6 lt per year over the next two years, after the current agreement expires on March 31.
“We deeply appreciate India’s trade policies including duty-free access for certain products. We seek to strengthen these collaborations to ensure a stable and predictable supply chain,” Tanzanian Deputy Prime Minister Doto Mashaka Biteko said, addressing the Pulses Conclave in New Delhi, organised by India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA).
Talks on
Kamwesige M Mtembei, director crop development in Cerelas and Other Produce Regulatory Authority under Tanzania’s Agriculture Ministry, said the Indian government has already been requested on this and discussions are going on for extension of the pulses agreement.
Providing the break up of pulses, he said Tanaznia wants agreement to cover supply of 3 lt of pigeon peas and 1.5 lt each of gram and green gram.
Tanzania produces about 9 lt of pulses annually (excluding beans), whereas its domestic consumption is less than 1.5 lt, Mtembei said. Currently, it exports the surplus pulses to Pakistan, Dubai and China as well.
In his address at the event, Biteko invited Indian investments in his country’s agriculture sector. According to him, the bilateral trade between the two countries has reached $7.5 billion in 2023-24. “We deeply appreciate India’s trade policies including duty-free access for certain products. We seek to strengthen these collaborations to ensure a stable and predictable supply chain,” Biteko said.
Tanzania has 29 million hectare of net cultivable land where foreign countries are allowed farming on 99 years lease. Indian companies such as ETG India, Mahashree Agro, Purandare Industries (sugar factory) have invested in Tanzania in the farm and related sectors. However, there are also couple of Chinese companies operational there.
