Agriculture accounts for 24.3% of the GDP and 64.3% of the employed population of Tanzania. For a long time, the country has been a net exporter of agricultural products. Tanzania has vast areas suitable for agriculture, but the poor quality of the existing infrastructure, as well as a high level of poverty, do not allow the sector to fully develop its potential.
Increasing the productivity of the country's agriculture is one of the most important tasks of the government in the field of strengthening the food security of residents.
The main crop grown in Tanzania is cassava. According to the FAO, the volume of its production in 2021 amounted to 6,125,9 thousand tons, which is 11.5% less than 2020. During 2017-2021, production grew annually by an average of 11.1%.
The country is a producer of bananas: in 2021, the volume of grown products amounted to 3,588.5 thousand tons, which is 4.3% more than in 2020.
The average annual growth rate of production of these fruits for 2017-2021 was 9.1%. Also, about 580 thousand tons of plantains are grown annually in Tanzania.
The country is actively increasing the production of grain crops. In 2021, the total volume of grown products amounted to 11,318.5 thousand tons. For 2017-2021, the indicator increased by an average of 2.3% per year. Most of the products grown are corn, the volume of production of which in 2021 amounted to 7,039.0 thousand tons (+4.9%). The average annual growth rate for 2017-2021 was 1.3%. Rice production in 2017-2021 increased by an average of 2.3% per year, but in 2021 it amounted to 2 688.0 thousand tons (-11.5% by 2020).
Tanzania has a developed livestock sector, which is able to provide a significant part of domestic demand, but depends on imported supplies of feed, feed components and equipment. Beef accounts for the majority of meat production — in 2021, according to FAO, 508.4 thousand tons of this type of meat were produced in the country (51.2% of the total meat production in the country). Tanzania also produces significant volumes of poultry and goat meat: 86.2 and 71.5 thousand tons, respectively.
In 2021, the country produced 4.51 billion chicken eggs, which is 11.3% more than in 2020. The average annual growth rate for 2017-2021 was 13.1%. Raw milk production in Tanzania increased by 3.2% in 2021 (+103.1 thousand tons) and amounted to 3,331,1 thousand tons. During 2017-2021, the indicator grew annually by an average of 9.7%. Cow's milk accounts for the majority of milk production — in 2021, according to FAO, it accounted for about 93.1%.
Tanzania has significant aquatic biological resources. Despite having access to the ocean, the bulk of the country's fish catch (86.7%) is carried out in the largest freshwater lakes in Africa, Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa. In 2021, fish production amounted to 507.1 thousand tons. Most of the products produced are accounted for by fishing — 477.8 thousand tons. There is also an aquaculture sector in the country, but its volumes are much smaller — 29.3 thousand tons in 2021.
Import of agricultural products
In 2018-2022, there was a steady increase in the volume of imports of agricultural products of Tanzania. In 2022, imports of agricultural products amounted to 1.15 billion US dollars, which is 24.3% higher than in 2021. The average annual growth rate of imports in value terms for 2018-2022 was 10.6%.
In the structure of imports of agricultural products of Tanzania in value terms in 2022, the main product was wheat, the share of which amounted to 31.2% or 358.0 million US dollars. The top 3 imported products also included beet and cane sugar (15.6%) and palm oil (12.1%). In total, the top 10 products accounted for 75.8% of all imports of agricultural products in Tanzania.
In 2022, the most significant increase in compare to 2021 was in the supply of wheat (+56.5% or +129.2 million US dollars) and sugar beet and cane (+35.5% or +46.9 million US dollars). Rye supplies also resumed, amounting to $31.3 million. At the same time, palm oil imports decreased (-34.9% or -74.5 million US dollars).
In 2022, the main suppliers of agricultural products to Tanzania were Malaysia (11.1% of imports in value terms), Argentina (8.5%), India (7.3%), Australia (6.7%) and Thailand (6.5%). In total, the top 10 countries accounted for 64.5% of the value of imports of agricultural products of Tanzania.
Imports from Malaysia increased most significantly in 2021-2022 (3.4 times or +89.4 million US dollars), Argentina (3.8 times or +71.3 million US dollars) and Thailand (4.2 times or +56.8 million US dollars). Thailand has increased 4.5 times (+57.3 million US dollars) the supply of sugar beet and cane to Tanzania. Poland in 2022 increased the export volumes of wheat and rye by 34.0 and 22.3 million US dollars, respectively.
Export of agricultural products
Tanzania is a net exporter of agricultural products. In 2022, the volume of exports of agricultural products of the country amounted to 2.04 billion US dollars, having decreased by 0.5% relative to the level of 2021. For 2018-2022, Tanzania's exports increased annually by an average of 12.4%.
The basis of exports of agricultural products of Tanzania in 2022 were cashew nuts (11.5% of value exports), tobacco raw materials (9.3%) and coffee (9.2%) — these three products accounted for 30.0% of exports of agricultural products of the country. In total, the top 10 exported types of products in 2022 accounted for 64.6% of the value of exports of agricultural products of Tanzania.
Exports of cashew nuts increased most significantly in 2022 (+43.8% or 71.6 million US dollars) and tobacco raw materials (+40.0% or 53.9 million US dollars). But rice exports have significantly decreased (-39.2% or -118.5 million US dollars).
The main importers of agricultural products from Tanzania in 2022 included: India (11.5% of value exports), Uganda (7.9%), China (7.6%), Kenya (7.6%) and Vietnam (6.7%). In total, the ten largest importers accounted for 64.7% of the country's exports.
In comparison with 2021, Vietnam (+36.5% or +36.5 million US dollars) and DR Congo (+31.3% or +20.0 million US dollars) demonstrated the most significant increase in the volume of purchases of agricultural products from Tanzania. Tanzania increased exports of cashew nuts to Vietnam by 34.0% (+28.0 million US dollars). The Democratic Republic of the Congo increased purchases of soft drinks (except water and juices) by 36.5% (+6.6 million US dollars). At the same time, shipments to India (-43.1% or -177.6 million US dollars), Kenya (-22.3% or -44.4 million US dollars) and Uganda (-16.0% or -30.9 million US dollars) significantly decreased.
