NFRA Is Working To Expand It Grains Storage Capacity From Currently 750,000 tons To At least 3 million Tons By 2030.
DODOMA. THE National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) plans to execute a major project for the expansion of Mtanana warehouse in Dodoma region.
The planned project, set to run for five consecutive years (2025/26- 2030/31), focuses to transform the warehouse located in famous maize producing district of Kongwa district to the tune of center of excellence for the storage of grains.
In an exclusive interview to this publication, Director General of the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), Dr. Andrew Komba said the initiative reflects efforts by the Agency to expand it grains storaging capacity.
According to him, NFRA is currently working to expand its cereals storaging capacity from currently 750,000 tons to at least 3 million tons by 2030.
Dr Andrew Komba
“As per our plans, if all goes well, implementation of works for the major facelift for the Mtanana warehouse will commence from envisaged fiscal year, 2025/26 up to 2030/31,” Dr Komba unveiled.
3 Million
Grains Storage Capacity Which NFRA Seeks To Attain By 2030
Detailing specifically, he noted, the coming project will see expansion of grains tonnage storaging capacity at the strategic warehouse in central zone from currently 30,000 tons to a total of 300,000 tons upon completion.
“The target is to enable professional and enough collection and storaging of maize, paddy and sorghum from farmers in central zone corridor,” he said.
He said the Agency is currently working to establish the exactly budget needed for the vital project.
Together with that, he said NFRA continues to implement diverse project for the expansion of it warehouses across the country.
During last financial year, the government injected the Agency with 36.7bn/- to facilitate a major project for the construction of new modern warehouses, as well as renovation of other cereal storage facilities at its diverse centers across the country.
The development enabled the Agency to uplift it grains reserve capacity from 365,000 to 750,000 tons.
In order to expand the NFRA’s grains reserve capacity, the ministry of agriculture has been working to hand over the Agency more warehouses, whereby the Tanzania Initiative for Preventing Aflatoxin Contamination (TANIPAC) also gave the Agency at least 19 warehouses.
In the same vein, April 15, 2025, the ministry of agriculture handed over to NFRA the maize processing plant and steel silos (LOT 2) in Mtanana.
The 8.5bn/- worth maize processing facility was constructed by the parent ministry through the Tanzania National Inclusive Post-Harvest Agribusiness Support Project (TANIPAC), as part of the Post-Harvest Crop Management Centre in Mtanana.
With the currently capacity to reserve a total of 750,000 tons of grains, NFRA operates 72 purchasing points across eight regions—Dodoma, Dar es Salaam (Kipawa), Njombe (Makambako), Songwe, Rukwa (Sumbawanga), Arusha (Babati), Shinyanga and Songea.
The second tier involves purchasing grain in quantities of 2,000 tonnes or more from large-scale traders, while the third tier includes buying from cooperative societies where farmers aggregate their produce.
About The Author
