PRIME MINISTER INAUGURATES STATE OF THE ART HIGH QUALITY CASSAVA FLOUR FACTORY IN TANZANIA

Waziri Mkuu wa Tanzania, Mhe. Kassim Majaliwa akikata utepe ikiwa ni ishara ya kufungua kiwanda cha kampuni ya Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation (CSTC) cha unga wa muhogo wenye kiwango cha juu katika kijiji cha Mbalala, kata ya Nyegedi, mkoani Lindi. Wengine kutoka kushoto ni Mhe. Omary Mgumba (MB), naibu waziri wizara ya kilimo, mkuu wa wilaya ya Lindi, Mhe. Shaibu Ndemanga, mwenyekiti wa kampuni ya CSTC bwana Gerald Billet, Balozi wa ufaransa nchini Tanzania, Mhe. Frederic Clavier, Mkurugenzi mtendaji wa CSTC bwana Christophe Gallean na mbunge wa jimbo la Mtama mkoani Lindi, Mhe. Nape Nnauye.

Waziri Mkuu wa Tanzania, Mhe. Kassim Majaliwa (MB) akivuta pazi pamoja na mwenyekiti wa kampuni ya Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation bwana Gerald Billet kuashiria ufunguzi wa kiwanda cha unga wa muhogo cha CSTC katika kijiji cha Mbalala mkoani Lindi.

Waziri Mkuu wa Tanzania, Mhe. Kassim Majaliwa (MB) akiwasha mashine ya mihogo wakati wa ufunguzi wa kiwanda cha unga wa muhogo cha kampuni ya CSTC mkoani Lindi.

Waziri Mkuu wa Tanzania, Mhe. Kassim Majaliwa (MB) akipewa maelezo kuhusu taratibu za kiwanda cha unga wa muhogo baada ya kukifunguwa rasmi katika kijiji cha Mbalala, mkoani Lindi.

Waziri Mkuu wa Tanzania, Mhe. Kassim Majaliwa (MB) akitizama mihogo inavyopita kwenye mashine wakati wa ufunguzi wa kiwanda cha unga wa muhogo cha kampuni ya CSTC mkoani Lindi.

22nd March, Lindi, Tanzania — Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation (CSTC), a Tanzanian company specialized in growing and processing cassava in the Lindi Region, officially launched its first High Quality Cassava flour Factory that will produce more than 6,000 metric Tons of High Quality Cassava Flour annually. The state of the art High Quality Cassava Flour factory was officially inaugurated by Honorable Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa (MP), together with the Managing director of CSTC, Mr. Christophe Galléan.

The factory which is the first of its kind in Tanzania, is equipped to produce over 1 Metric Ton of High Quality Cassava Flour per hour, and will employ directly up to 40 persons with plans to scale the number depending on improved capacities.

Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation’s with headquarters in Lindi region has been operating in Tanzania for 7 years, with an aim of selling domestically and exporting quality Tanzania-made, value added products. With the strategic proximity of the port of Mtwara, CSTC plans to reach all the South and East African Markets as well as Middle-Eastern, US and European markets.

CSTCs approach is to grow a top quality Cassava crop on large efficient plantations managed by CSTC, and to process the entire crop in nearby, large scale processing sites. CSTCs combined plantation and processing factory is unique at that scale and level in Cassava processing in Africa.

The honorable prime minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa commended CSTC on the first High Quality Cassava Flour factory in Lindi as it is significant to the country, and puts the country on a good footing for its continued industrial and economy growth, adding that he is pleased to see that level of investment in Lindi Region.

Speaking at the inauguration, Managing Director of CSTC, Mr Christophe Galléan said “We are exhilarated to officially launch our first state-of-the-art High Quality Cassava Flour factory in Tanzania. We are proud of this new factory and what it represents to us at CSTC, the region and Tanzania as a whole. We strongly support the current administration's drive of an industrialized Tanzania, under the guidance of President John Magufuli, and your implementation Honorable Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.”

CSTC started operating in 2012 and has more than 400 team members, of which 97% are Tanzanians. “We keep adding, training and providing responsibilities to many young professionals at all levels,in the management team, the factory, the plantation or the administrative operations” said Mr Galléan at the factory inauguration.

With an expansion plan of launching a starch factory in the near future, CSTC will then employ close to 300 persons in both factories combined (High Quality Cassava Flour factory and Native Starch factory). Not only will the community benefit from employment but also from infrastructure and social services that have been developed in the Lindi district by the company since its establishment. As an example, CSTC has invested in education by building a classroom and in infrastructure with a water reservoir, both in Lipome village.

In due time, farmers in the surrounding area/villages will also benefit when the operations of the factory are fully established. CSTC plans then to initiate a small growers program. The program will involve and require a lot of agronomic training to the small farmers to help them implement new agricultural practices, full land preparation for mechanization and, as a result, significantly increase their cassava quality and yields. Only then will they reach volumes and cost competitiveness to supply the factories in parallel to the large plantations.

“An industrial constraint remains however as it is critical that industrial processing of tubers takes place less than 24 hours after harvesting. CSTC is starting such an initiative with a lot of agronomical education as yields and logistics are critical. CSTC is looking for a right partner to establish the program as expectations must be set correctly. The benefit to the local and regional agriculture industry will be very important.” Insisted Mr. Christophe Galléan.

Christophe Galléan also emphasized and thanked the Government for its continuous support to CSTC and he looks forward to the expansion of its factories and plantations.

ABOUT CSTC

Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation is a Tanzanian company based in LINDI with its first factory (High Quality Cassava Flour) in Mbalala village in Lindi Region. It has been operating in TANZANIA since 2012 with the objective of identifying and developing the best variety of cassava for High Quality flour and native starch (using local institutions like NARI and Kibahaha) and producing top quality and value-added Tanzanian products for the domestic and export Market.

CSTC has over 800 hectares on the Makonde Plateau for growing and producing high quality Cassava tubers to be processed into High Quality Cassava Flour.