Tanzania to revive cultivation of cotton, four other major cash crops

Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-10 02:45:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Saturday the government was planning to revive the cultivation of five major cash crops of cotton, tea, coffee, cashew nuts, and tobacco in the coming farming season.

The government has decided to make a close follow-up specifically on cotton farming where it will supervise the whole process from farm preparation, planting, application of fertilizers and insecticides, harvesting and marketing, Majaliwa said.

Majaliwa was speaking in the political capital Dodoma during his meeting with 10 regional commissioners from cotton-growing regions.

"It was high time that cotton farmers benefited from their sweat," he told the meeting, organized to discuss the revival of cotton farming in the regions of Shinyanga, Singida, Kagera, Tabora, Morogoro, Mara, Mwanza, Simiyu, Katavi and Geita.

"We are determined to revive cultivation of our major cash crops including cotton," Majaliwa said. "I have started with you because I know you have the capacity to supervise and guide farmers."

The prime minister directed the regional commissioners to make sure that district extension officers worked closely with farmers at all the stages, from farm preparation to harvesting.

"The main job of extension officers in these regions will be to ensure enough cotton yields in the coming farming season," he said.

Majaliwa said cotton had to become the number one export crop as it had been in previous years when people referred to it as "white gold."

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