KIZOTA-based Agro Processing Africa (APA). which is under Export Trading Group, has urged pigeon pees farmers here to apply modern crop storage methods.
A senior APA official, Mr Teka Katambala, said here recently that poor storage of crops was the main cause of poor quality, stressing that application of modern methods would ensure them of reliable markets.
"We have been buying pigeon pees mixed with sand and stones due to poor storage, as a consequence of which quality and price are compromised," said the official, at the company's grain milling machine at Export Trading Group zone.
Mr Katambala also hinted on the challenge posed by dishonest farmers who mixed pigeon pees with other crops in order to increase weight, prompting the company to hire more labourers to sort out the crops.
"When we grind one tonne of pigeon pees, we discover at least 50 kilogramme of sand or other crops in the consignments," he said. APA's Production Manager, Mr Parimul Suvaiya, said his company produced at least 70 tonnes of pigeon pees a day, saying much of the products were exported to Asian countries.
The Public Relations Officer for Export Trading Group, Ms Fatma Ally, said the APA started operations in Dodoma in 2010, saying the company processed agricultural products. She explained that the company bought pigeon pees from small scale farmers in Shinyanga, Tabora, Mwanza, Mtwara and Dodoma, saying that it exports the cash crop to countries that included India, Bangladesh, Canada and UK.
Ms Ally pointed out that at least 23 Dodoma residents secured permanent employment in the company and 200 were temporary staff. She said the company purchased more than ten tonnes of pigeon pees from farmers a year, noting that the company processed 9,012 tonnes out of the 14,304 tonnes purchased during the 2015/2016 harvest season.
"The company purchased 17,771 tonnes of pigeon pees this season and the processing of agricultural product is in progress. Farmers should grab opportunities of this reliable market," she said.
