TISEZA rolls out incentives for tea investors

DODOMA: THE Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) has introduced tax and nontax incentives across the tea value chain to attract more investors, lower investment costs and strengthen tea production.

Deputy Minister in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Dr Pius Chaya, announced the measures in the National Assembly yesterday, saying the incentives would also help increase farmers’ incomes, create jobs, boost export earnings and promote the adoption of modern technology.

He said this while responding to a basic question by Suma Fyadomo (Special Seats MP, CCM), who wanted to know the government’s strategy for attracting investors to tea farming and processing industries.

“The existing strategy is to attract investment in tea production, processing, packaging, storage and value addition for both domestic and export markets,” he said.

Dr Chaya assured the legislator that the government would continue to promote opportunities in the agriculture sector and crop processing as priority areas for investment.

In a supplementary question, Pindi Chana (Special Seats, CCM) asked what measures the government was taking to ensure investors benefiting from the incentives paid tea farmers on time, offered fair prices and bought their produce during harvests.

Responding, Dr Chaya said the President’s Office (Planning and Investment) is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to attract productive investors who would strengthen the tea value chain and support farmers.

He said the government’s approach is to attract investors who would create a reliable market for tea growers while improving investment across the sector.

“I would like to assure the Honourable Member that, as the government, we will work on the concerns she has raised for the benefit of our people,” he said.

In another supplementary question, Ester Bulaya (Bunda Urban, CCM) asked what the government was doing to develop the Bunda Export Processing Zone (EPZ) to stimulate the local economy and create jobs for youths and women.

In response, he said the legislator that the government has already secured two major investors who have begun clearing the site at the Bunda Export Processing Zone (EPZ).

“The two investors are operating in different areas. The first is investing in meat-processing factories, an abattoir and packaging, while the second is investing in the fish value chain. I would like to assure the Honourable Member of Parliament that Bunda EPZ is one of the government’s priority areas,” he said.

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Similarly, Dr Johannes Lukumay, the Arumeru West MP (CCM), said his constituency was a major gateway to tourism in the Northern Circuit, prompting him to seek clarity on the government’s strategy for attracting investors to develop three- to five-star hotels in Ngaramtoni or Tengeru to boost tourism.

Responding, Dr Chaya acknowledged that Arumeru West was indeed part of Arusha Region, which was heavily dependent on tourism.

He said the government’s priority is to attract investors to the tourism sector, with Arumeru being among the areas where efforts have begun to attract investors to build modern hotels, five-star hotels and other tourism facilities to boost both the national and local economy.

Through the initiative, he added, local incomes would increase, assuring the legislator that the government would continue attracting investors to the tourism sector.

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