THE Cashewnut Board of Tanzania (CBT) has warned farmers to stop smuggling of the crop and it will take legal action against the vice.

Atufigwege Mwakyagi, CBT acting manager sounded the warning here recently when highlighting the measures taken by the board to address the challenge.

Mwakyagi said that one of the effects posed by smuggling cashew nut is the failure to reach the set target in revenue generated by the crop which is vital for the country’s development, emphasizing that doing so sabotages the efforts of the government to ensure farmers get the good prices to help elevate their incomes through agriculture.

“Smuggling cash crops out of the country is a crime and I want you to know that your days are numbered. The board does not approve of people sabotaging the crop which is supposed to benefit the farmers. The government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan made investments to ensure farmers get good prices,” he said.

He said that smugglers intend to downcast the efforts of the government to ensure cashew nut farmers reap profits from the crop and advance economically and change their lives.

Mwakyagi said that 741 tonnes of cashewnut were sold in last year’s auction held in Mkinga District reaping 703m/- in revenue that benefited the farmers.

On regulating the quality of the crop, he said that training programmes have been offered to farmers to enable them to practice commercial agriculture so as to regulate the quality before the crops are taken to the markets and sold through a formal system.