SUGARCANE experts have advised the government to improve research services and investment environment to facilitate availability of enough quality seeds for improved production.

According to the experts, despite several strides made to encourage production of sugar in the country, the industry still faces a number of challenges including lack of quality sugarcane seeds.

 Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Fedrick Charles, executive secretary of Tanzania Society of Sugar and Cane Technologists (TSSCT), made the observation here at the weekend during a stakeholders’ workshop which brought together experts from various sugar factories in the country.

 The factories include Kilombero sugar, Mtibwa sugar, Kagera sugar, TPC Limited, Mkulazi Holding Company, Bagamoyo sugar and other millers.

 Charles said lack of quality sugarcane seeds which produce high amounts of sugar, has been a challenge for factories and growers for years, something which pushes millers to import seeds from South Africa, Mauritius, Malawi and other countries.

 According to him, in order to increase productivity in farms and availability of sugar in the country, it is important to have research laboratories to measure soil, pesticides and seeds that align with area ecology as well as cane breeding laboratories.

 He pointed out lack of modern processing machines as another challenge as millers have been importing them from various countries, something which increases production costs and price of sugar.

 “We urge stakeholders in the sugar industry to see the opportunity of investing in production of sugar processing equipment as well as laboratories to ensure sustainable cultivation of sugarcane; modern irrigation and harvesting technology is also needed,” he said.

George Gowele, representative from Sugar Board of Tanzania (SBT) highlighted various strategies which the government implements in to eradicate challenges thwarting growth of sugar industry in the country.

 He said that the government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (TARI)-Kibaha research the best and quality sugarcane seeds.

 He said the efforts commenced since 2005 whereby already some seeds have been prepared including tarisca 121-122 which have already started to be grown in pilot in various parts of the country.

He said the government through SBT, TARI-Kibaha and farmers in the Kilombero basin expect to establish a special project to grow sugarcane seeds in 400 hectares of land.

 Another effort is the establishment of seed nurseries at Mtibwa Sugar factory for small farmers along with Manyara Region where nurseries will be established with the aim of eliminating the challenge of sugarcane seeds in the country.

 Adam Malima, Morogoro Regional Commissioner, urged the experts to increase their efforts by coming up with more innovative measures to help address challenges facing the industry.

 He said that climate change has affected agriculture sector and that it was important to be innovative by adopting modern technologies to achieve intended goals.