Tanzania is aiming to leverage the Asian Fruit Logistica trade show in Hong Kong as part of its ongoing endeavors to establish relationships with Chinese importers and investigate novel export prospects.
The CEO of the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, made this observation yesterday in a statement to the media regarding the sending of a prominent delegation to the trade show.
The action follows China’s historic decision to open its vast market to avocados grown in Tanzania; TAHA sees this as the start of a new chapter for local avocado exports. She noted that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), whose support was essential in removing barriers that prevented access to the important market, had played a significant role in helping to secure this breakthrough.
She expressed her sincere gratitude to Hussein Bashe, the minister of agriculture, for his decisive leadership and astute negotiating abilities, which advanced the issue to a breakthrough.
According to her, “this historic development opens the doors for Tanzanian producers to tap into China’s impressive $150 million avocado market, which is rapidly expanding.” In the middle of this month, the ministry informed TAHA of the new market access agreement.
This is a significant step forward for TAHA, which started in 2018 when it first realized the potential of the Chinese market and asked for assistance from the government to remove trade barriers.
According to TAHA officials, the growing middle class in China has led to an increased demand for avocados, which has turned this once-niche market into a major player in the worldwide fruit industry.
Tanzania, the third-largest avocado producer in Africa, had long struggled with export restrictions, mainly because there was no sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement in place, they added.
The crucial SPS agreement was made during President Samia Suluhu’s state visit to China in August of last year, bringing about the long-awaited settlement.
Formal access was then dependent on the validity of the protocols outlined in the agreement, and this was a question of process. The CEO stated that TAHA’s goal at the Asian Fruit Logistica fair is to strengthen ties with Chinese importers, retailers, and industry players in order to establish the foundation for a strong export program.
Even though Tanzanian avocado growers have high expectations and the two nations have strong bilateral relations, observers interpret the length of time it took to receive access assurance as a sign of fierce competition for the Chinese market.
Uncertainty remains over how much greater market access will be made feasible by bilateral and multilateral ties since importers and wholesalers frequently prefer produce from syndicated businesses in order to prevent standards from fluctuating to the dismay of their clients. Tanzania’s avocado sector is about to enter a transformative phase that will involve successful producer syndication through adherence to sanitary regulations.
The combined effort between Tanzanian authorities and international partners is just the first step in this process. Officials stated, citing the example of India, that in certain cases, local farming is carried out by businesses from an importing nation in order to guarantee strict adherence to sanitary standards.
After six years of fruitless efforts by TAHA, negotiations during the state visit resulted in the opening of the Chinese market. However, commentators pointed out that the formal accession was announced just weeks before President Samia arrived in Beijing for an African leaders’ conference with the Chinese leadership.
According to them, TAHA’s outside strategy is to boost horticultural export value to $2 billion yearly by the end of this decade, from $420 million in the previous year. This accomplishment would provide numerous job possibilities for women and young people along the crop value chain.