The Comandant of the National Defence College (NDC) of Tanzania, Major-General Ibrahim Mhona, has advised Mtwara Region residents not to entertain politics regarding cashews. He gave the advice on Tuesday in Tandahimba District where he handed prizes to Mtwara Mikindani Municipality, Newala District Council and Tandahimba District Council. Other beneficiaries were Tandahimba Newala Cooperative Union Limited (Tanecu) and Jabari Cashew.
He suggested that research be conducted to determine why cashews do not benefitted the growers as much as they should. The NDC Commandant said it was past time that Tanzania stopped exporting raw cashew nuts and, instead, process them locally so as to reap most of its benefits through domestic value-addition. “I visited Tari, where I saw a good job of research and adding value to cashew nuts, sesame, groundnuts, cashew apples and other products that they are doing.