The Cereals and Other Produce Board (CPB) has allocated 100 billion shillings for the purchase of agricultural products from local farmers in the upcoming 2023/2024 fiscal year. This funding is intended for value addition initiatives and marks a significant step towards modernizing the country's farming practices.
CPB Chairman, Mr. Salum Awadh, made this announcement during a symposium held in the Mwanza Region over the weekend. The event brought together various stakeholders from the Lake Zone, including farmers, agriculture associations, and banks. The symposium, organized by the board, aimed to mobilize these stakeholders to leverage the emerging opportunities provided by CPB, such as new markets and improved farming technologies.
Mr. Awadh emphasized that the board's primary focus is to become the central hub for value-added cereals and other agricultural produce, including maize, rice, wheat, sorghum, and beans. This approach will transform small-scale farmers' entire production chain and provide them access to markets for their products.
"We need to connect farmers, formalize their operations, and provide them with relevant information. We will achieve this by granting them access to CPB's existing infrastructure, including warehouses, processing industries, and markets," stated Mr. Awadh.
He further revealed that the board currently operates seven processing industries nationwide. This includes a rice processing factory in Mwanza with a daily capacity of 96 tonnes and two maize and sunflower processing factories in the Dodoma Region, each capable of processing 60 tonnes per day.
CPB's Acting Business Services Director, Mr. Evans Mwanibingo, highlighted that the combined capacity of the board's seven processing industries allows for the refining of approximately 445 tonnes of cereals and other produce per day. He also mentioned that the 100 billion shillings allocated for the coming fiscal year will facilitate the purchase of 115,000 tonnes of cereals products, including rice and maize.
Mr. Mwanibingo warmly welcomed the private sector, particularly those involved in intensive cereals production, to seize the emerging opportunities available. He encouraged them to become suppliers of raw materials to CPB's processing industries.
During the symposium, Ms. Lilian Herbert, Director of Lilian ABC Company, a sunflower refining company based in the Simiyu Region, requested the board's support in extending technical assistance to local small-scale processing agricultural product industries. She highlighted the lack of modern refining machines as a significant challenge faced by these industries.
CPB, a government-owned board established to process and sell cereals, including maize and wheat, serves as the primary source of a stable market for farmers. With its ambitious plans and substantial funding allocation, the board aims to drive the transformation of the agricultural sector and create a sustainable and prosperous farming industry in the country.
The Cereals and Other Produce Board (CPB) is an organization dedicated to the processing and sale of cereals and other agricultural produce in the country. It serves as a vital link between farmers and consumers, ensuring a stable market for agricultural products. The CPB has a set of objectives and functions that guide its operations and contribute to the development of the agricultural sector.