There are three main tea-growing areas in Tanzania namely southern Highland Zone (Mufindi, Njombe, Kilolo, Ludewa and Rungwe Districts), the North East Zone (Lushoto, Korogwe and Muheza District) and Northwest Zone(Bukoba,Muleba and Tarime district).
TEA INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
From functional angle the tea industry is divided into three categories:-
Green leaf production:
This is done by outgrowers as well as large estates.
Primary Processing:
There are 19 primary processing factories namely: Musekera, Chivanje, Katumba and Mwakaleli- Rungwe District. Kibena, Luponde and Lupembe- Njombe district. Kilima, Kibwele, Lugoda, Kiganga and Itona – Mufindi District. Bulwa, Kwamkoro and Marvera – Muheza District, Ambangulu and Dindira – Korogwe district, Mponde and Herkulu – Lushoto district and Maruku factory – Bukoba district.
Blending and Packing:
There are 7 licensed blending and packing factories namely: Afri Tea and Coffee LTD (DSM), Chai Bora LTD (Mafinga – Iringa), Promasidor Tanzania (PTY) Ltd (DSM), International Food Packers LTD (Tanga) and Zanzibar Tea Packers LTD (Zanzibar), BK Tea Blenders Co. Ltd (Bukoba), Kyimbila Tea packing Co. Ltd (DSM).
TEA PRODUCTION IN TANZANIA
Currently Tanzania is the forth major tea producer in Africa after Kenya , Malawi and Uganda. It produces about 32,000 tones per annum, and constitutes about 1.0 percent of World Tea production. It has a total of 22,721.55 ha ( Estates 11,272.10 ha and 11,449.45 ha Small holder farmers )of land planted with tea. Large private tea estates cover 50 per cent while out growers including smallholders cover 50 per cent. The details out growers including area planted with tea and production for the past six years are shown below:-
AREA PLANTED WITH TEA BY SUB-SECTOR (IN HA):
|
DISTRICT
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
| Rungwe |
5,549.00
|
5,579.50
|
5,579.50
|
5579.50
|
5,579.00
|
5579.00
|
| Njombe |
38040.50
|
3,804.50
|
3,804.50
|
3,804.50
|
3,804.50
|
3,804.50
|
| Mufindi |
5,065.85
|
5,066.25
|
5,066.25
|
5,066.25
|
5,066.25
|
5,066.25
|
| Muheza |
2,561.00
|
2541.10
|
2,541.10
|
2281.80
|
2,541.10
|
2,541.10
|
| Korogwe |
1,605.00
|
1,607.90
|
1,607.90
|
1,607.90
|
1,607.90
|
1,607.90
|
| Lushoto |
2,284.00
|
2,281.80
|
2,281.80
|
2,541.10
|
2,281.80
|
2,281.80
|
| Kilolo |
205.00
|
205.00
|
205.00
|
205.00
|
205.00
|
205.00
|
| Ludewa |
-
|
-
|
-
|
7.00
|
7.00
|
7.00
|
| Bukoba |
1627.00
|
1,628.50
|
1,628.50
|
1,628.50
|
1,628.50
|
1,628.50
|
| Total |
22,701.75
|
22,714.55
|
22,714.55
|
22,721.55
|
22,714.05
|
22,721.05
|
|
SECTOR/YEAR
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
| ESTATE |
11,270.20
|
11,174.10
|
11,310.40
|
11,272.10
|
11,272.10
|
11,272.10
|
| SMALLHOLDER |
11,431.05
|
11,540.45
|
11,404.15
|
11,449.45
|
11,449.45
|
11,449.45
|
| Total |
22,701.75
|
22,714.55
|
22,714.55
|
22,721.55
|
22,721.55
|
22,721.55
|
NATIONAL MADE TEA PRODUCTION (tons)
|
YEAR
|
ESTATE
|
SMALLHOLDERS
|
TOTAL
|
|
2003/04
|
23,151
|
7,109
|
30,260
|
|
2004/05
|
23,324
|
8,676
|
32,000
|
|
2005/06
|
21,093
|
7,171
|
28,264
|
|
2006/07
|
23,997
|
10,973
|
34,970
|
|
2007/08
|
22,518
|
10,180
|
32,698
|
|
2008/09
|
22,443
|
9,565
|
32,008
|
EXPORT SALES AND AVERAGE PRICES OF TANZANIA TEA
|
YEAR
|
AMOUNT (tons)
|
SVALUE US $ (000)
|
PRICE US $/Kg
|
|
2002/03
|
23,688
|
28,598,000
|
1.21
|
|
2003/04
|
19,006
|
27,514,000
|
1.45
|
|
2004/05
|
23,174
|
27,520,000
|
1.19
|
|
2005/06
|
22,429
|
27,559,000
|
1.23
|
|
2006/07
|
28,318
|
39,424,000
|
1.39
|
|
2007/08
|
26,943
|
37,177,000
|
1.38
|
|
2008/09
|
22,568
|
35,834,000
|
1.58
|
LOCAL SALES AND CONSUMPTION OF BLENDED AND PACKED TEA
|
YEAR
|
AMOUNT (tons)
|
VALUE Tshs (000)
|
PRICE /Kg
|
|
2002/03
|
3,158
|
8,090,544,000
|
2,561.97
|
|
2003/04
|
3,225
|
8,905,014,000
|
2,761,91
|
|
2004/05
|
4,004
|
11,529,322,000
|
2,879.71
|
|
2005/06
|
3,881
|
12,470,379,000
|
3,212.99
|
|
2006/07
|
4,737
|
18,643,776,000
|
3,935.97
|
|
2007/08
|
4,253
|
21,272,772,000
|
5,001.71
|
|
2008/09
|
4,464
|
20,096,115,000
|
4,501.82
|
MARKETING SYSTEM:-
The marketing of tea is divided into main categories:-
i) Green leaf marketing – This is marketing of plucked green tea leaves.
ii) Bulk loose tea marketing – marketing of tea in grade form.
iii) Blended and packet tea marketing – this is marketing of branded tea.
FUTURE OF TEA INDUSTRY IN TANZANIA
The future of the tea industry is looking much better than it has been in the past. Production is likely to increase in the coming few years and consumption is also moving up with the increased number of blending and packing factories, consumers have a wide choice of tea due to the presence of various brands of tea.
The tea board of Tanzania is currently working on preparation of Ten years National Tea programme. The aim of the programme is to promote tea production, processing and marketing through establishment of an enabling environment by adjusting the factors of performance.
