Mainland Group Agro Process Tanzania is set to invest $28 million (approximately 73 billion TZS) in a new sunflower oil production facility in Dodoma. The factory aims to process 30,000 and 35,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds annually, contingent on seed availability.
During a recent construction site tour, Yueyang City Mayor Xie Weijiang, accompanied by a delegation of 18 people, announced that the factory is expected to commence operations in December. “The factory is very modern and will produce high-quality oil from sunflower seeds,” Mayor Xie stated.
The facility will feature four silos capable of storing up to 30,000 tonnes and will also produce animal feeds from sunflower seed byproducts.
In addition to sunflower oil, Mainland Group Agro Process Tanzania engages in trading various agro-products including maize, soybeans, cotton, sesame, cashews, cassava, rice, sorghum, coffee beans, cocoa beans, and agricultural byproducts such as corn starch, soybean meal, and cottonseed cake.
Welcoming the delegation, Tanzania Investment Officer Diana Ladislaus highlighted the significant economic impact of the project. “The firm will create 500 permanent jobs and should transfer technology and skills to locals,” she said.
Tanzania currently imports 320,000 tonnes of edible oil annually to meet a demand of 500,000 tonnes, while domestic production stands at 180,000 tonnes per year. The new sunflower oil production facility is expected to significantly reduce the country's dependency on imported edible oil.