Production of cassava in Tanzania has from 5.9 million tons to 8.2 million tons within a period of one year between 2018 and 2019. However, despite the increase, production of the vital economic cash crop remains relatively low in the country compared to the high demand from within and outside the country, especially in China which is more than 2 million tons of dry cassava, equivalent to 6million tons of fresh cassava per year, the Director of Crops in the Ministry of Agriculture, Nyasebwa Chimagu said.
Chimagu said in an interview here that low production was attributed to low use of improved seed, low application of improved technologies, unreliable climatic conditions, as well as the presence of diseases, among others.
According to him, during the 2016/17 season at least 1,202,216 hectares of cassava were cultivated, producing a total of 4, 025,265 tons. He added that during the 2017/18 season, the country grew cassava in a total of 983,502 hectares which generated 8,372,211 tons, whereby during the 2018/ 2019 farming season the county produced 8,184, 093 tons from 990,835 hectares.
According to dailynews.co.tz, the leading countries in cassava producing in the continent include Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Angola, Mozambique and Malawi.
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