Tanzania Coffee Production for May 2012 – April 2013 is estimated at 61,012 metric tons. This nearly doubles the 32,044 tons produced last season, stated Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) Director General Mr Adolph Kumburu in an interview at the Coffee Conference held in Kampala, Uganda’s capital.
The current year, is the heavy crop year in the alternating low and high natural production cycle. The weather has also favored output as June rains are expected average-to-above-average.
Tanzania, East Africa’s third biggest economy plans to raise production to 80,000 tons by 2016 as new trees are planted, according to Mr Kumburu. He said “We want to take advantage of growing global demand and coffee is one of the sectors we are using to improve household incomes”.
According to the International Coffee Organization estimates, coffee demand is growing 2.5% a year and Tanzania exports nearly 98% of its beans.
Data from the board show that Tanzania earned USD 235 Million from coffee exports in 2011-12, mainly to the US, Japan and Germany. Although the country is currently looking for other markets in the European Union, the Middle East and the Far East, especially China.
