Economics: Dar to Tame Spiraling Horticulture Post Harvest Losses

By ADAM IHUCHA

Tanzania multi-million-dollars horticultural industry has received a major boost after the state pumped Tsh 1.7 billion ($1.062 million) to curb post-harvest losses.

Experts said the horticultural industry loses between 40 to 50 per cent of its yields in pre and post harvesting, mainly due to lack of reliable collection, grading and cold storage facilities near productive areas.

The package by the Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives docket, would see the creation of horticultural produce collection centres and spacious cold storage established in those areas to control the post harvest loses.

“The idea is to address challenges related to post-harvest and handling of horticultural produce,” reads a Ministry of Agriculture document.

Officials said the package is part of the State’s commitment to support small-scale farmers in the horticulture industry with an eye to boost growth.

The post-harvest handling facilities would be built at areas, which are considered as potential for production of horticultural crops such as Njombe, Morogoro and Coast regions.

Pre and post-harvest losses is a long time cry from the horticulture farmers, through their apex body, Tanzania Horticulture Association (TAHA).

TAHA Executive Director, Jacqueline Mkindi described the government move as “fantastic news” for thousands of vegetable and fruits growers.

“We are grateful to the government for understanding our plight, which has seen many farmers go out of business,” Ms Mkindi said.

The TAHA boss blamed poor post harvesting management practices, insufficient infrastructure support system - cold and packinghouses, and cold chain transport system as the major factors behind the post-harvest loses.

Pre-harvest losses occur before the process of harvesting begins, and may be due to insects, weeds and rusts.

Harvest losses occur between the beginning and completion of harvesting and are primarily due to shattering, whereas post-harvest losses occur between harvest and the moment of human consumption.

“Horticultural crops typically have a high, moisture content, tender texture and high perishability,” Ms Mkindi said, adding that if not handled properly, a high-value nutritious product can deteriorate and rot in a matter of days or even hours.

It is understood, in the developed world, a series of sophisticated technologies have been developed and applied in post-harvest handling of horticultural crops in the last few decades.

Unfortunately, TAHA Policy and Advocacy Manager, Anthony Chamanga says many African countries have not been able to use these advanced equipment, owing to cost or adaptability problems.

“Post-harvest losses, therefore, remain high. Horticulture may be lost in the pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest stages,” Mr Chamanga noted.

Amid, the challenge, TAHA focuses a rapid growth with projected earnings of $1billion from exports by 2015, according to its strategic blueprint.

“In pursuit of this goal TAHA has developed an institutional five-years-strategic plan which is patterned along the lines of Kilimo Kwanza and the recent USAID support of a $4 million to boost horticultural industry growth, we believe we can hit $1bn earnings,” says Ms Mkindi.

Currently, the ‘green gold’, earns the second East African community (EAC) largest economy, nearly $390 million annually.

However, the 2010 statistics from the United Nations Comtrade assumption of projections from 2010 to 2020 based on average annual growth rate of 25 per cent, Tanzania’s horticulture exports would earn $1000 million in 2018 and double in two years’ time to reach $1,850 million by 2020.

The figure also suggests that more than one million Tanzanians will be working directly in horticulture industry by 2020. The global demand of horticulture on the other hand stands at $153 billion.