The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute will distribute 600 tons of high yielding, improved sugarcane kernels to the farmers across the country to boost production.
According to TARI the improved seedlings are disease-resistant and can withstand all harsh weather conditions including drought.
The two TARISCA and one R-570 new seedlings varieties emerge from extensive research to produce kernels that will ensure the country gets quality produce.
The Manager in-charge at the Kibaha center for the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Dr Nessie Luambano, stated that the project is meant to address the shortage of sugar in the country.
Despite being the third largest producer of sugar in the East African Region, Tanzania is only capable of generating 482,000 metric tons from the country’s plants in a year.
However, the country’s annual demand for the sweetening substance for both domestic and industrial use currently stands at 722,000 metric tons and counting.
Tanzania is therefore compelled to invest plenty of money in importing sugar to balance between demand and supply.
Dr Luambano explained that Tanzania needs 482,000 tons of brown sugar for domestic intake and 240,000 tons for industrial purposes.
So far, a total of 33 sugarcane growers and extension officers from seven villages in Kilosa district of Morogoro, Central Tanzania, have been provided with the newly developed Tarisca 1 and Tarisca 2 sugarcane kernels for distribution to local farms.
Tanzania’s sugarcane production is usually concentrated in Morogoro, Kagera, and Kilimanjaro regions but currently faces a growing gap between domestic demand and production.
According to Statista Uganda remains the largest producer of sugar in the Eastern African region with an output of 514 thousand metric tons.
Kenya follows in the second position in yielding close to 441 thousand metric tons of sugar.
Zambia and Tanzania take the third and fourth positions respectively when it comes to the largest producers of sugar in the region.
With an output of nearly 3 million metric tons, Egypt is the leading producer of sugar on the continent, followed by South Africa.