Tanzania’s coffee production recorded a four year high, riding on the back of good weather and better agricultural practices. The production increased from 47,000 metric tonnes in 2 017 -18 to 65,500 metric tonnes in 2 018 -19, according to the data released by Tanzania Coffee Board. Contribution of small and marginal farmers is 9% of the total coffee production of the country. Experts are of the view that there is considerable scope for boosting production from this sector given that the government gives them enough incentives and technical support. According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO) now Tanzania ranks fourth in terms of coffee output in Africa, from its earlier position of five. It has usurped Kenya, which occupied fourth position last year. The top slot in coffee production is occupied by Ethiopia with a production of 450,000 mt tons, followed by Uganda 290,000 mt, Cote d’Ivoire 96,000 mts. Among the East African countries, Uganda leads the pack in coffee production followed by Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi in that order in 2018-19. The data compiled by Bank of Tanzania shows that coffee exports from Tanzania have gone up during the year ended in May 2019, while all other traditional crops except cotton have gone down. The highest production ever recorded in the coffee production was in 2013, which was over 73,000 mt. Close to 250,000 hectares are under coffee production in the country, which has overtaken sisal as the country’s main cash crop nicknamed as green gold.
