ARUSHA, Tanzania, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Monday banned the export of unprocessed food crops, in a bid to encourage investment in agro-processing industries.
Majaliwa announced the ban when speaking at this year's Eid al-Fitr celebration, which at the national level was held in Moshi Municipality, northern Tanzania's region of Kilimanjaro.
"From today, it's strictly prohibited for a person to export food crops which are not added value (unprocessed). The Fifth-Phase government has been encouraging investors to invest in agro-processing industries.
"In this area, we want people to export processed food crops. And if it is maize, farmers/traders should export maize flour. This will create employment for our people," said Majaliwa.
"I'm informed that there are people/traders who are trying to smuggle raw maize to neighboring countries. This is not acceptable at this time when we're interested in seeing people venture into agro-processing," he stressed.
The Tanzanian PM further said: "Anyone who can go against with this order, his/her maize will be seized and will be taken to the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA)."
He also cited food security as one of the reasons for the government to ban the export of raw maize, the main staple food in Tanzania and the rest east and central African countries.
He called upon Tanzania's security agencies and local government authorities to be vigilant in the border posts of Tarakea, Holili, Mwanga, Horohoro, Siha, Namanga and Sirari, which are notorious for smuggling.
Majaliwa also suggested the need for Tanzanian traders to take maize from where there is a bumper harvest to those areas with food shortage, citing northwestern Tanzania's regions of Shinyanga and Geita. Enditem
