The Regional Commissioner of the Ruvuma Region in Southern Tanzania recently shared with the media his plans to increase the local production of avocados from the current 1,769 to 37,000 tonnes annually by 2025.
Colonel Laban Thomas said that for that, the region is preparing a strategic plan to assist local farmers to make avocados a new cash crop.
The plan will include the supply of quality avocado seeds to farmers, and training them about the best farming practices for avocado growing.
Tanzania is the third largest avocado producer in Africa, after South Africa and Kenya.
Avocado is a relatively new crop that Tanzania started exporting in 2009.
However, the annual production is growing fast to capitalize on the global avocado booming market and demand.