THE Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) has successfully managed to propel impressive improvement in the country's avocado production sector.

Through the implementation of various interventions in cooperation with a record number of local and international stakeholders, the sector has witnessed a smooth metamorphosis in productivity, value addition as well as exportation, said Geoffrey Kirenga, SAGCOT's chief executive officer when speaking at the avocado pavilion during the 31st Farmers’ Expo 

Kirenga said that there has been a growing collaboration in the concerted efforts to promote the crop among key stakeholders in Tanzania.

"As you can see, in this pavilion here there are over 60 SAGCOT stakeholders who are engaging in various avocado sectors, including a total of 18 agro companies, specifically for depicting various issues continuing in the avocado value addition chain in the country, including seeds production, as well as the processing of avocado oil," he said.

He added that SAGCOT has so far worked to empower small-scale farmers to grow up and expand their production, but also in searching and linking the farmers to reliable markets.

"Through a partnership with the stakeholders, we have also achieved to impart the farmers with needed agronomic practices for the professional cultivation of the avocado, from the preparation of plantations, use of improved seeds, pesticides management and managing post-harvest losses and processing," he said.

Kirenga noted that SAGCOT has also managed to assist avocado growers in adopting the use of modern farming implements, together with other key facilities to support the crop's professional storage and processing, stressing that there are at least four best varieties for avocado, two being farmer's favourable ones, which are Bacon and Hass, saying the target was to attain the needed productivity.

" For instance, as per the needed productivity, one avocado tree is supposed to produce between 15 and 30kg, but the farmers can yield up to between 150 to 300kg per one tree, the development which enables farmers to fetch profits at the market," he said.

The crop, he said is currently grown in many regions across the country, including Njombe, Iringa, Rukwa, Katavi, Kigoma, and Morogoro (200 acres).

"We're now expanding the crop in Ruvuma Region where there is a total of 600 hectares that have been planted with avocado under SAGCOT supervision," 

"Avocado production keeps on expanding in Tanzania, creating prestigious economic opportunities for the farmers to benefit accordingly through cultivating, but also venturing into value addition," Kirenga said, stressing that currently there is a total of 25,000 tonnes which is exported outside the country.

Kirenga said the target was to ensure the country produced and exported between 200,000 and 250,000 tonnes within ten years ahead.

"Demand for avocado in the world market keeps on mounting, formerly we used to export to European markets, but currently we export also in India, and soon we will start to reach out to China market and South African markets," he said.C