DAR ES SALAAM, April 28 (Xinhua) — Tanzania has attained a 130 percent food self-sufficiency rate following increased agricultural production in the 2024/2025 farming season, Minister of Agriculture Daniel Chongolo told the parliament on Tuesday.
Presenting the ministry’s budget proposals for the 2026/2027 financial year, Chongolo said total food crop production rose to 23,783,128 tonnes in the 2024/2025 season, up from 22,803,316 tonnes recorded in the 2023/2024 season, marking an increase of 4.3 percent.
He told the parliament in Dodoma that cereal production reached 14,924,582 tonnes, up 2.3 percent from the previous season.
Production of non-cereal food crops registered stronger growth, rising by 7.8 percent to 8,858,546 tonnes compared with the last season, he said.
According to the minister, total food production recorded in the 2024/2025 season was sufficient to meet national food requirements estimated at 18,279,054 tonnes for the 2025/2026 consumption period, leaving a surplus of 5,504,074 tonnes.
“As a result, the country has achieved food self-sufficiency of 130 percent,” Chongolo said, attributing the performance to improved agricultural output and favorable production conditions.
He said that the surplus provides an opportunity to strengthen food security, stabilize domestic markets and expand exports of agricultural produce. ■
