TANZANIA Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) has intensified efforts to speed up the pace of sunflower research in a bid to contain edible oil shortage in the country.
TARI National Coordinator for Sunflower Research, Mr Frank Mulamula said that as a result there have been recent releases of two seedling varieties (TARI-ILO and TARI-NA), which were registered in 2019. He said the purpose of releasing these two varieties of seedling is to increase productivity and overall sunflower production to anchor edible oil availability in the country.
“The varieties have high seed yield, high oil content and they are resistant as well as tolerant to major biotic and abiotic stresses, and well adapted to target production areas,” explained Mr Mulamula.
According to Mr Mulamula, the varieties were in small quantity that required passing through maintenance breeding in 2020 but they are now at the second generation of multiplication stage of these varieties, aiming at obtaining sufficient amount by February, 2022, so as to be distributed to various seed companies which have officially requested for the seeds from them.
On the other hand, TARI’s Director General, Dr Geoffrey Mkamilo explained that the institute is not only dealing with sunflower seeds to boost production of edible oil in the country, but they have also intensified palm trees production, which is one of the strategic crops launched in 2018 meant to produce cooking oil.
He further stated that the main goal of the government as well as TARI is to make sure that the country is self-sufficient when it comes to production of edible oil.
“Production of edible oil should not just come from the sunflower crop but other crops such as palm oil and others, since Tanzania is a rich country not only in resources but land as well.
“We want to ensure that the importation of edible oil will be history in this country, stressed the Dr Mkamilo. The government has intensified production of palm tree to also halt importation of edible oil in the country. Last week, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa disclosed that the government spends over 400bn/- annually to import cooking oil. This was after inspecting a palm tree farm belonging to Bulombora National Service (JKT) Camp, as part of his working tour in Kigoma Region.