Tanzanian farmers reap the benefits of Nairobi's food market

ARUSHA. It could easily have been attributed the long lines of trucks waiting to enter Kenya last Tuesday at the border town of Namanga with cumbersome customs procedures.

For some reason, they drew the attention of a Tanzanian cabinet minister who was on an official visit to the still bustling border town.

She asked why so many trucks were heading for Kenya, with no significant numbers lining up to enter Tanzania.

Border officials quickly informed Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu that they were responsible for maize and other food for the Kenyan market, where demand is strong.

For residents of Namanga, it is common to see trucks loaded with fresh produce from Kenya, while those entering Tanzania are full of processed products and goods.

Tanzanian food products easily reach Kenya, although the two East African Community states have not settled their trade disputes over confectionery.

"There are virtually no restrictions except those that concern product quality," said Walter Maeda, chairman of the Arusha branch of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tanzania Agriculture (TCCIA).

Tanzania also exports food products to Kenya through the Holili / Taveta, Horohoro / Lunga Lunga and Tarakea / Loitokitok borders.

Maeda said Tanzanian producers were motivated by the good prices in Kenya because of the high demand for food.

However, statistics are lacking because the cross-border food trade is largely informal.

The Arusha hotelier has singled out onion among the main commodities exported to Kenya because, unlike corn, they are not affected by drought.

"Our onions are preferred by Kenyan traders, who pack them in Nairobi and export them overseas," he said.

Most onions are grown in the isolated irrigated fields of Mang'ola, about 200 kilometers west of Arusha. Due to strong demand and reliable market abroad, Kenyans have virtually taken over farms through contract farming.

Under the agreement, Kenyan investors hire farmers to grow onions and even provide inputs such as fertilizer.

At one point, this arrangement drew the attention of local politicians. But senior government officials have urged farmers not to lose the export opportunities of their surplus production.

Recently, the Minister of Agriculture, Japhet Hasunga, reportedly said that the country plans to export 100,000 tons of its surplus products to Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Malawi.

Exports are assured because an assessment conducted last December revealed the existence of sufficient stocks. About 3.2 million of the 16.8 million tonnes of food produced during the 2018/2019 season were surplus.

With the introduction of the one-stop border post at Namanga set up by the EAC, activities are now fluid, regulated and above all in terms of quality.

The products are subject to moisture content and radiation tests, although some exporters are worried about the number of institutions performing the cleanup.

Tanzania also exports livestock to Kenya, with about 300 cattle sold in the Namanga area alone each month.

"But there is little control over livestock exports. Most cross official or unofficial border posts, "said one official.