In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Tanzania’s Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Baraka Luvanda, encouraged Tanzanian farmers to take advantage of the significant economic opportunities in the Asian market, particularly in Japan.
Ambassador Luvanda highlighted that Japan imports about 15,000 tonnes of coffee annually, with Tanzanian coffee being highly sought after for its quality. He urged Tanzanians to capitalize on this demand, noting that the Tanzanian Embassy in Japan has already launched successful coffee brands like Kilimanjaro, Tarime, and Black Star, which are performing well in the Japanese market. He also mentioned that Japan consumes around 400 million tonnes of coffee each year.
In addition to coffee, Luvanda pointed out that Japan is a key market for Tanzanian tobacco, stating that all of Tanzania’s tobacco could be sold there at a fair price. However, he acknowledged a trade imbalance, with Tanzania exporting about 68 million US dollars worth of goods to Japan in 2023, while imports from Japan totaled approximately 650 million US dollars.
Luvanda called on Tanzanian manufacturers, farmers, and stakeholders in the production value chain to explore Japan as a promising market for agricultural products. He made this appeal during the Tanzania-Japan Quality Infrastructure Dialogue, part of his week-long visit to Tanzania. He was accompanied by representatives from 60 Japanese construction companies, aiming to strengthen partnerships with Tanzanian firms.
While Japan is known for its advanced construction technology, Luvanda noted that it also relies on agricultural imports from Tanzania, while Tanzania could benefit from Japan’s expertise in infrastructure, especially resilient technologies for natural disaster adaptation.
The Japan Africa Infrastructure Development Association (JAIDA) participated in the dialogue, aiming to accelerate infrastructure development in Africa, including Tanzania.
Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) Executive Director, Mr. Gilead Teri, emphasized the strong economic collaboration between Tanzania and Japan in sectors such as construction, agriculture, fisheries, and trade. He noted that 70% of Japanese consumers prefer Tanzanian coffee brands, and between 1997 and 2024, Japanese Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in Tanzania reached 42 million US dollars, contributing to 24 projects and creating over 1,180 jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
