Tanzania is still facing acute shortage of seeds to supplement the country’s agricultural sector.
While the country’s demand for kernels has reached 127,650 tons per each and every farming season, it seems Tanzania can only produce 70,000 tons of seeds in a year.
In other words, Tanzania faces a shortage of at least 60,000 tons of seeds annually and these therefore must be imported.
The Product Development Representative from the Longping Agriscience Tanzania (LPAT), Michael Bishubo, stated here that his company has decided to venture into the country seed industry to help fill the gap between demand and supply of the farm inputs.
“We are working to ensure that local farmers get adequate seeds for production,” said Bishubo.
Longping Agriscience Tanzania is a new company in the sector and has so far injected into the country’s agriculture industry at least three varieties of improved Maize, Sorghum and Soybean seeds from Brazil.
The new seed types, according to Bishubo, include MG1055 and MG1063 (Maize), MG23 and MG2302 (Sorghum), as well as MG3801, MG3802 and LPSY007 for Soybean.
The official was speaking at the Nane-Nane Agriculture Show grounds of Dodoma where the annual Farmers week is taking place at National Levels.
To be officially graced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the climax on the 8th of August 2025 the Agriculture Show marks the 32nd edition of Nane-Nane after the event was transformed from the previous Saba-Saba in 1995.
“Our seeds varieties being displayed at Nane-Nane are designed to thrive in Tanzania’s diverse agro-ecological zones, ensuring resilience against local challenges such as pests, diseases, and climate variability,” Bishubo said.
His company is also extending its marketing scope to the Tanzania Breweries Company Limited (TBL) and Serengeti Breweries Company Limited (SBL), the alcoholic beverage firms that grow their raw materials of wheat, sorghum and millet on local estates.
The Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI) and the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (TARI) have been working with his firm to improve the seed production initiatives in the country and Bishubo says the government has been supportive.
So far Longping Agriscience Tanzania (LPAT), a leader in the certified seed industry, has established over 300 demo plots in Mbeya, Songwe, Sumbawanga, Katavi and Dodoma regions, for the production, and distribution of high-performing hybrid maize, soya beans, sorghum varieties.