Cashew farmers in the country will continue to benefit from government subsidy inputs in order to get rid of them and develop them economically, this was said on April 18, 2024 in the launch of access and distribution of inputs to farmers for the 2023/2024 season.
Speaking at the inaugural event, Hon. SHAIBU NDEMANGA, Lindi District Commissioner on behalf of the Regional Commissioner, has thanked the Tanzania Cashew Board for the decision to launch the distribution of inputs in his region, especially to the farmers of Kiwalala ward on behalf of all cashew growing regions in the country.
Also Hon. Ndemanga commended the Board for the great work it is doing and recognized the great contribution it makes in developing the crop and increasing the income of the farmer.
“Before the subsidized inputs, farmers were sold inputs at high prices and most of them were fake inputs, the Government, seeing the importance of the cashew crop, decided to intervene and provide subsidized inputs and ensure that there are no fake inputs in the country” Mr. Ndemanga.
However, we thank the government under Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan for the great work that she is doing for her citizens to continue providing subsidized inputs on time and leading to increasing the production of cashews. In addition speaking on behalf of the chairman of CCM in Lindi Region, Hon. Athuman Hongonyoko has advised the farmers to stop tending to the cashew crop out of habit but to look at the times and the change in the weather at the moment, “rains have become more different than what we are used to, so the farmers will have to change due to the changing weather” Hon. Athuman.
Welcoming the official guest at the event, the Director General of the Tanzania Cashew Board, Brother Francis Alfred, said that for the 2023/2024 season, Cashew production reached three hundred and five hundred thousand tons (305,000).
Also in the implementation of the promise of the government of Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan to continue to provide subsidized inputs to cashew farmers, until now the inputs available in warehouses are 39,000 tons of powdered medicine and still 30,000 tons continue to be brought to the target set for the 2023/2024 season.
In addition, he urged the farmers to be patient during the input distribution exercise, so all the areas that are in production will be prioritized to be sent there to survive from diseases.
He assured the official guest that inputs will be sent to all areas on time and every registered farmer will be given what he deserves.In terms of improving the database of farmers, Francis said that so far 412,200 farmers have been reached, which is equal to 77 percent of all registered farmers, the improvement of information is continuing rapidly and the Board will continue with this exercise whenever the need arises.
He added by imploring the farmers to follow the instructions given during the information update and to ensure that the phones they used in their information are taken care of in order to achieve the collection of inputs during distribution.
