Tanzania: Taha hailed for innovative cargo deal with Ethiopian Airlines
The Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) has commended the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) for striking an innovative cargo deal with the Ethiopian Airlines under which Tanzania's horticultural exports will be ferried to Arabian, European and American markets thrice a week.
Speaking at a function, TPSF Chairman Angelina Ngalula praised TAHA for pioneering the deal which she said would preserve international markets of Tanzania's horticultural exports and bring to the fore Tanzania's contribution to stabilisation of the global economy currently battered by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
"TPSF, through the agriculture cluster, congratulates TAHA on its fruitful efforts and getting an alternative way of serving its European and world clients.
This move will help preserve jobs of farm workers, will be of benefit to the entire chain value, big and small farmers who depend on farming for their livelihoods," she told her audience.
She reminded that for a long time TAHA faced difficulties in taking its floral cargoes to Europe via the Nairobi route, explaining that a solution to that problem might have come because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ms Ngalula called on Tanzania to produce many horticultural products because they had a big market in and outside Tanzania.
She thanked the government for support to TPSF members and called on transportation agencies to offer efficient services so that Tanzania could benefit from the opportunity that had presented itself.
Ms Ngalula named the current three main tasks of TPSF members as providing education on how to avoid contracting the disease, keep jobs intact and ensure essential services, especially the flow of foodstuffs to members of the public remain undisrupted.
The chairman called on other TPSF clusters to conceive strategies that would help members of the business community to continue having some incomes during the current trying period.
TAHA CEO, Dr Jacqueline Mkindi, said Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner cargo plane, expected to carry a minimum of 15 metric tonnes, would airlift exports from Kilimanjaro International Airport to foreign markets.
She described the availability of the cargo plane as a golden opportunity for preserving overseas markets.
She said when airlines suspended flights worldwide, Tanzanian horticultural producers were dispirited and depressed. Now that TAHA has planned to export 55 metric tonnes weekly, she called on TAHA members to increase production and make the most of the opportunity.
She said the deal would not only preserve external horticultural markets, but would also preserve jobs of Tanzanians in other branches of the national economy.
Dr Mkindi was grateful for the support the association received from the Ministry of Agriculture, the European Union, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Global Alliance of Agricultural Agencies (Agri-Cord) and the FFD.
Kilimanjaro Airport Development Company Managing Director Christopher Mkoma urged horticultural farmers to double their efforts to benefit more from the opportunity.
This article originally appeared in Daily News. [Photo: Alan Wilson/Wikimedia Commons]