Tanzania plans to grow 20 million New Oil Palm Trees as Country races against Malaysia

Tanzania is rolling out nearly 150,000 hectares of land to introduce new Oil Palm Trees Farming in the country’s five regions.

Speaking in Arusha, Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe says it is high time Tanzania reclaims its title as one of the world’s top palm oil exporters.

Apparently Malaysia, which is among the top producers of palm oil, had taken its initial seedlings from Tanzania to start its farms and now the former reaps benefits at the expense of the latter.

“We are getting tired of frequent reminders that Malaysian Palm Oil industry originated from Tanzanian seeds, it time to wake up and try to reclaim back the title,” Minister Bashe, maintains.

Tanzania is among the countries that buy palm oil from Malaysia, even though it produced the first seeds.

Through the Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania plans to set aside between 120,000 hectares and 150,000 hectares of land in the country’s five regions that has better potential for such farming.

Already the area Commissioners for Kagera, Katavi, Kigoma, Tabora and Coastal Regions have been directed by the Ministry to set aside lands for the state-controlled Palm Trees farming.

From the farms, Tanzania intends to invest in oil palms trees multiplications, targeting to produce 20 million plants.

Tanzania’s current Palm Trees farms thrive in small numbers, mostly along the Indian Ocean Coastline and around the Western peninsular striding Lake Tanganyika shorelines.

The country produces palm oil which is a dark red, carotenoid-rich product.

Tanzania is only a minor producer of Palm Oil which is a vegetable cooking oil and cosmetic base.

However, the country has high production potential, on that its climate is similar to the conditions found in Southeast Asia where the palm oil trees grow abundantly.