The Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Daniel Chongolo (MP), conducted a working tour in Mtwara Region on 11 December 2025, delivering a message from President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan affirming that “The Government will continue to ease the burden on cashew farmers by ensuring reliable access to agricultural inputs.”
Minister Chongolo further stated that the Government will ensure that all raw cashews for export are shipped through the Port of Mtwara so that the benefits and interests tied to the cashew value chain bring prosperity to the southern regions.
Issuing directives to the Cashew Board of Tanzania, Minister Chongolo emphasized the need for the Board to continue safeguarding the primary cashew market to curb unregulated traders, commonly known as kangomba.
The Minister also visited the Maranje Industrial Park, which aims to establish cashew processing factories to enable farmers to gain greater productivity and value from the crop.
Additionally, Minister Chongolo stressed that the factories should include a modern laboratory for testing cashew moisture levels to ensure high-quality and competitive cashews in the international market, particularly in China and Vietnam.
The Minister also inspected the TARI–Naliendele Agricultural Research Centre, urging its researchers to enhance seed quality and reduce pests by modernizing technology and science in cashew research, citing the use of drones to apply sulphur-based pesticides as a key example.
