The government has not conducted any research on growing of olive plants since commercial viability of the crop is yet to be confirmed locally.
Deputy Minister for agriculture, food security and cooperatives, Mr Adam Malima
The Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Mr Adam Malima said, however, that his ministry has been engaging research institutions and investors in countries where the crop is grown before it starts encouraging farmers to grow olives.
According to Mr Malima, olive plants are grown mostly in areas with Mediterranean and Subtropical climates. He noted that in Africa the crop is grown in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and Egypt.
“About 90 per cent of olives globally are used to produce edible oil while the remaining percentage is used as fruits. The by-product obtained after extracting oil is used to feed animals,” he explained.
Mr Malima made the explanation while responding to a basic question by Mji Mkongwe MP Ibrahim Sanya (CUF) who wanted to know whether there have been any studies conducted to determine if the crop can be grown in Tanzania.
“Tanzania is a big country with varying geographical features, has the government conducted any research on growing of olive crop since its oil is of high quality and attracts high prices in the international markets?” the Mji Mkongwe legislator queried.
The Deputy Minister said, however, that local research institutions have been importing germplasm collections of the crop which are currently stored at a gene bank at the HORTI Research Institute Tengeru, ARI in Zanzibar and at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro.
Mr Malima was, however, optimistic that olives can be grown in Tanzania since the country has areas with temperate, subtropical and tropical conditions which are favourable for the crop.
Source Tanzania Daily News
