ASA Moves To Ensure Rural Sunflower Farmers Get Improved Seeds At Subsidized Prices
By Senior Reporter, VALENTINE OFORO
THE Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA) is contemplating to hold a round table meeting with the country’s agrodealers to brainstorm ways to which the farmers in rural areas can get the improved seeds varieties for sunflower at the subsidized prices.
The development surfaced out of the established revelation that huge percent of rural farmers are not in reliable access to the kernels.
Edward Mbugi, ASA’s Marketing Manager told the publication at the ongoing 31st Tanzania Agricultural International Expo that the convening of the envisaged meeting focuses to chart ways to which rural areas farmers can access the subsidized seeds at indicative prices, and not otherwise.
“The government had decided to subsidized the sunflower seeds in order to bolster production and tasked ASA to ensure the seeds are available to all farmers across the country, including those in rural areas,” he said.
He said since it was incumbent for the Agency to ensure for equity distribution of the seeds to the farmers, the coming meeting will delve and set viable means to have all farmers in rural areas getting the seeds at indicative subsidized costs.
“We had prior entered into working contracts with a number of agrodealers to help marketing the seeds to the farmers, but our research established that majority of the rural sunflower farmers are not getting the seeds at subsidized prices,” he said.
He said ASA will continue working to set and implement proper strategies to multiply and distribute improved seeds varieties to the farmers in all agricultural zones in the country in order to heighten the general performance of the economic sector.
Speaking for his part, ASA’s Acting Production Manager, Benjamin Mfupe said the Agency has introduced into the country three new varieties for sunflower, wheat and sorghum.
He said introduction of the seeds, which include the open pollinated varieties (OPV) for wheat and sorghum and the hybrids for sunflower target to improve production and productivity.
He named the new seeds as TARISO II (Sorghum), Sun Bloom (sunflower) and SST 884 of wheat.
“The new sunflower variety, Sun Bloom and the SST 884 of wheat have been imported in the country so as to quench the thirst of the high demand for the improved seeds within the sector,”
“So far, we have imported at least 700 tons of Sun Bloom variety, the good seed which will now enables the farmers to yield between 16 and 18 sacks per acre,” he said.
He added, the new hybrid sunflower seed is available at a cheap price of at least 10,000/-per one kg, instead of 45,000/= as sold by other seed companies.
Explaining over the growing potential of the variety, he said with the seed, the farmers will stand a chance to harvest sunflower around 110 days after planting, as early maturing variety, he added that the variety produces large head with seed of good oil content.
Mfupe added, the local wheat farmers must have all reasons to smile as well, unveiled that the imported new variety of SST 884 possesses high growing potential with wide range of adaptation.
“With the variety, it takes between 90 to 110 days for the farmers to harvest, and the seed has capacity to produce at between 14 and 18 sacks per acre,” he briefed.
He said that experience proved that the variety imported from Zambia flourishes well in several regions across the country, including Dodoma (central zone), Southern Highlands regions, Arusha, and Kilimanjaro.
“I am appealing to the wheat farmers in all wheat grown areas to go for the new seed in order to improve production and productivity.
He added that ASA has already dispatched a total 500tons of the useful seed in at least 12 municipalities with wheat production.
He named the areas as Makete, Makambaku, Njombe, Arusha, Wangin’gombe, Ludewa, Siha, Monduli, Hanang, Babati, Sumbawanga, and Nkasi.
However, he added that ASA has also distributed a total of 692.9 tons of local made wheat varieties, namely Juhudi and Sifa, saying the farmers can buy and use the improved varieties to boost productivity.
Pertaining to the new sorghum seed, TARISO II, Mfupe said the seed has been hatched by the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), saying the variety is potential in terms of resistant to diseases, including destructive birds, and it has capacity to turn out between 14 and 16 sacks within for one acre.
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