THE UK Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has named Tanzania’s Fresh Field Manyatta as a finalist for the 2024 International Supplier of the Year award, showcasing the country's horticultural prowess on the global stage.

The consortium said in an email to the company yesterday that ‘Fresh Field Manyatta has achieved finalist status for this esteemed award,” using its influence as a prominent advocate for the UK’s fresh produce industry.

It is focused on fostering growth and opportunities for its members, a diverse membership representing more than 1,000 companies within the UK’s fruit, vegetable and flower sub-sectors, thus playing a crucial role in the industry.

Often dubbed the 'Oscars of the fresh produce world,' these awards honour a wide range of businesses from the UK and abroad, celebrating those who have significantly impacted the global horticultural supply chain through innovation.

Being recognized as a finalist is an incredible honour that the company takes great pride in acknowledging, the company said in an announcement, affirming that it is a milestone.

Fresh Field Manyatta is the first Tanzanian horticultural exporter to achieve this level of recognition internationally, the firm asserted, elaborating that this accomplishment illustrates how the firm is making waves in the global horticultural industry.

Clement Manyatta, the managing director and an Anglican Church pastor in the northern city, said that this recognition shows the firm’s commitment to excellence, and its ability to compete with industry giants with revenues in the billions adds to the significance of this achievement.

This recognition highlights Fresh Field Manyatta’s dedication to quality and innovation, underscoring the strength of its team and leadership.

 The pastor founded the company last year with a starting investment of 77m/-, guided by the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), whose support opened valuable connections to the UK market.

TAHA CEO Dr Jacqueline Mkindi said that TAHA also provided FFM with access to a fully equipped pack house and facilitated international standards certification for market access.

With a focus on quality and innovation, FFM has introduced new products like bitter gourd, habanero, and African bird's eye chili, significantly diversifying its portfolio and demonstrating Tanzania’s horticultural potential internationally.

By the end of the 2023 season, FFM had achieved a turnover of over 150m/-, marking its first profitable year. This success has positively impacted Tanzania’s agricultural landscape, as evidenced by substantial payments to out-grower farmers.

In 2024, FFM’s turnover soared to 956m/-, with 500m/- directed to small-scale farmers, reflecting the firm’s commitment to equitable growth and community empowerment, she said.

“This model fosters farmer loyalty while enhancing product quality and alleviating poverty, enabling many farmers to improve their living conditions and invest in their children’s education,” she stated, pointing at logistical challenges as remaining a concern.

Transporting goods from the production zone to UK supermarkets has bottlenecks to sort out, where the company director highlighted the high freight costs, which burden exporters and imperils competitiveness, he said.

The firm pays $1.9 to $2.5 per kilogram to ship produce to the UK while producers in Kenya and Rwanda pay $1.5 to $1.8 per kilogramme to access the same facility, he stated.

The cost disparity is explained by the absence of direct flights to the UK, pushing exporters to rely on expensive connecting flights, increasing costs and delivery times, he said.

 “We’ve made significant progress, and we cannot allow logistics to hinder our growth. I urge the government to consider establishing direct cargo flights to the UK.

This is not just an exporters’ business issue as it affects the livelihoods of farmers and the potential for Tanzania to emerge as a leading fresh produce exporter, he added.