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Informist, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025

 

NEW DELHI – Tanzania has requested the Indian government to extend the agreement on duty-free import of pigeon peas from the east African country until 2027, according to Tanzanian government officials. Tanzania has also asked India to increase the import quantum by 300 tonnes, the officials said. The current agreement is set to expire in March. 

 

"Currently, we export 200,000 tonnes of pigeon peas per year. Now, we are requesting for an additional 300 tonnes," Irene M. Mlola, director general, Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Agriculture of Tanzania, said on the sidelines of the India Pulses and Grains Association conclave Thursday. 

 

Another Tanzanian government official said farmers in Tanzania mainly grow pigeon peas for the Indian market, as the legume is not widely consumed in Africa. Tanzania produces 900,000 tonnes of pulses annually, with pigeon peas making up the largest portion at 300,000 tonnes, the official said.

 

According to him, other major pulses grown in the country are chickpeas and moong. However, local consumption of pulses is minimal. "People eat a lot of beans, not pulses," the official said. 

 

To attract agricultural investments, Tanzania has opened up 100,000 hectares of cultivable land for Indian companies. "Tanzania is welcoming investments into the agricultural space. We can feed Indians and the world nutritious products," Mlola added. 

 

Tanzania has about 29 million hectares of net cultivable land. The land on offer is situated in central Tanzania and chickpeas and pigeon peas are suitable for growing there, according to the official.

India needs 26-27 million tonnes of pulses annually and produces nearly 24 million tonnes. To meet its domestic consumption demand, India imports pulses from Australia, Myanmar, Canada, Brazil, and several African countries.  End

 

Reported by Afra Abubacker and Pallavi Singhal

Edited by Subhojit Sarkar

 

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