MEAT sales abroad have increased from 1,774 tonnes in 2020/2021 financial year to 14,701 tonnes in 2022/2023, a push attributed to commercial cooperation with various countries.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said this on Monday during an inaugural ceremony and handover of Atimiza centre for commercial livestock meant for youth in Kongwa District, Dodoma Region. The centre is special for fattening goats and the project cost 1.6bn/-.

“Meat market has continued to increase to 12 countries and territories including Bahrain, Comoros, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Vietnam,” he said.

He added that goat meat has continued to lead in meat sales abroad where it has contributed to 70.1 percent of all sales.

“This confirms that this project we are handing over today has great economic benefits in our country because goat meat is in great demand both in this country and foreign market,” he said.

Additionally, Majaliwa called upon youth to seize the opportunity of the presence of the centre for their benefit as it will also benefit the nation as a whole.

“The aim of the project being handed over today is to provide youth with practical skills which include education in construction of sheds, feeding, treatment and management of goat breeding as well as to provide business training on goat fattening business,” he said.

The premier called on traders and meat processors to cooperate with the centre to reduce the challenge of obtaining quality livestock for production of meat and its products.

Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Abdallah Ulega said that livestock sector is in great need of stakeholders, including breeders, traders, consumers and health service providers in order to increase efficiency and production.

He added that until April 2024, the increase in meat sales abroad reached approximately 100bn/-. He said that the ministry has planned to make Atimiza Breeding Centre in Kongwa a large facility for breeding and fattening goats in the country.

The centre was being managed by a non-governmental organization PASS but it has been handed over to the government and will be under the supervision of the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI).