Cassava |
Tanzania Ambassador
to China, Mbelwa Kairuki signed for Dar es Salaam while Beijing was
represented by Deputy Head of China's General Rights of Quality,
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Li Yuanping.
Ambassador Kairuki
said to boost the country's cassava production, the embassy in Beijing
started to shop around for technology to increase its output. "This is a
special day for cassava farmers back home. My message is grab this
opportunity by increasing production since a steady market has been
secured," he said.
According to Amb
Kairuki, the country currently produce between half a tonne and two
tonnes per hectare compared to China which produces between 15 and 25
tonnes per hectare.
He urged Tanzanian
to establish cassava processing facilities in a bid to seize the
opportunity fully while adhering to export safety and standards
stipulated in the agreement. Dar assured Beijing on standard as per
agreed on the cassava deal with its negotiations started almost four
years ago.
Mr Li Yuanping said
the agreement was part of implementing One Belt and One Road initiative
centred on promoting long-term cooperation between the two countries.
"China market is also open to other agricultural products from Tanzania
to help create jobs and growth," he said.
The tuber cassava is dried and processed to form chips, cubes, peeler, starch and flour and pellets before being exported.
The processed
cassava serves as industrial raw material for the production of
adhesives bakery products, dextrin, dextrose glucose, lactose and
sucrose. Dextrin is used as a binding agent in the paper and packing
industry and adhesive in cardboard, plywood and veneer binding.
Food and beverage
industries use cassava products derivatives in the production of jelly
caramel and chewing gum; pharmaceutical and chemical industries also use
cassava alcohol (ethanol) in the production of cosmetics and drugs.
Cassava is a major
subsistence crop, after maize, especially in the country's semi-arid
areas where, due to its drought tolerance, cassava is sometimes
considered a famine reserve when cereals fail.
Most of the cassava
in the country 84 per cent is for human consumption, and the remainder
is used for animal feed, alcohol brewing, and starch production.
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