THE Cashew Nut Board of Tanzania is set to meet with the top leaders in the ministry of Agriculture to deliberate on how they will help cashew nut growers to get better prices in the ongoing 2021/22 trading season.
CBT Chairman Brigadier General Aloyce Mwanjile revealed here noting that the prices offered at the auctions were unsatisfactory to farmers because do not provide the benefits expected by farmers.
"The prices are offered basing on various factors and the board (CBT) is observing and later shall meet and discuss with top leaders in the ministry of agriculture to ensure farmers get better prices for their produces," he noted.
Brig. Gen. Mwanjile made the revelation here following farmers' complaints on low prices offered by buyers at the auction conducted in Masasi District by Masasi and Mtwara Cooperative Union (Mamcu).
Over 5,090 tonnes of raw cashew nuts worth 17.8bn/- were auctioned by MAMCU cooperative union at a minimum price 2,400/- and a maximum of 2,220/- per kilogramme.
Officiating at the auction, Mtwara Regional Commissioner Brigadier General Marco Gaguti asked the buyers to consider raising the prices in order to enable farmers reap better earnings of their produce and in turn help them afford production costs.
He also asked the farmers to ensure the cashews traded at the auctions are of premium quality to enable them fetch high prices.
Speaking shortly after the auction, farmers said the prices offered at the auction were low, calling for the buyers to increase the prices in the next auctions.
One of the farmers Blandina Nakajumo said the prices offered would not benefit farmers when compared to the resources invested in cashew production.
"We are selling our cashews though not satisfied with the prices offered by buyers, and this is because President Samia Suluhu Hassan gave us free farm inputs if we had purchased the inputs on our costs we would not have accept the prices offered," she said as she expressed gratitude to the Head of State.
