18/10/2006
The long time unavailability of processed animal feeds in Tanga region will soon become a thing of the past following local investor's plan to solve the problem.
The International Food Processors Limited (IFPL), a subsidiary of Azania Fresh, has confirmed its decision to locate a livestock feeds' processing plant in Tanga.
Tanga is rated as one of the most promising region where modern dairy seems to be taking roots.
As a forward linkage, Tanga-based milk processing plant, the Azania Fresh, is providing a market to 221dairy farmers from Pongwe, Amboni and Kange in the Tanga City as well as from Muheza district.
The new animal feed firm plans to produce livestock nourishes such as animal feeds, mineral foods and additional feeds would be given to farmers on credit basis to enable them to increase production and income.
Other animal farmers not selling their milk to Azania Fresh would also be allowed to buy animal feeds from IFPL.
Azania Fresh managing director Ali Awadh said over the weekend that his firm depends on local farmers for its supply of milk.
Awadh was presenting a brief history of the company to the Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa who visited plant located at Kange on the outskirts of the Tanga City as part of his official tour of the Tanga district.
The company also plans to establish its own heifer breeding farm to help dairy farmers in their quest to secure improved heifers.
Azania Fresh has another heifer farm in the Coast region which has a total of 650 cattle heads and has prepared 100 for sale to farmers.
The Azania Fresh factory was formerly owned by the Tanzania Dairies Limited, a parastatal company until 1994 when it ceased milk processing activities.
It was privatized end of 1990, but the first investor failed to revive the milk processing activities until November, last year when it was re-privatized again to IFPL.
Awadh said that processing activities started officially in January, with the capacity to handle 2,000 liters per day.
The factory produces fresh milk, ghee and yoghurt but plans to produce butter and cheese.
Azania Fresh competitor in Tanga is Tanga Fresh, also located in Tanga city.
The factory also envisages upgrading its technology so as to increase the shelf life of its products, and was looking into the possibilities of producing powdered milk.
On his part, the Premier Edward Lowassa advised the company to launch milk drinking campaigns that would involve school children with a view to inculcating milk drinking culture.
Tanzania's current per capita milk drinking was among the lowest in the world.
Lowassa thanked all donors who supported construction of milk trading centers to cater for the small dairy farmers.
Tanzania's dairy industry has the capacity to process a total of 500,000 liters of milk per day, although the actual performance is 150,000 liters of milk per day or 55 million liters of milk per year.
"Only 4.6 percent of the 1.4 billion liters of milk being produced in the country per year is being processed," he added.
