Market Trends of Tanzania Fruits and Vegetables Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Tanzania Fruits & Vegetables Market according to our research experts:
Increase in Heath Consciousness among Consumers
- The growing health consciousness among Tanzanian consumers has resulted in consumers spending more on healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables. Health complications, such as weakening of the immune system and vitamin-C deficiency along with bleeding gums, have encouraged the country's people to include healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables in their diets. This is reflected in an increase in the production of both fruits and vegetables in the country to accommodate the increasing demand.
- According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the production of vegetables in 2017 was 2.76 million metric tons. Even though there was a drop in the areas used for vegetable harvest in recent years, the production in 2020 was 2.77 million metric tons. For fruits, the production increased from 4.7 million metric tons in 2017 to 5.6 million metric tons in 2020. This increasing consumer demand for fruits and vegetables can also be seen reflected in the imports. From ITC data, the import value of fresh vegetables rose by almost 16% from last year and reached 5.8 million USD in 2021.
- Furthermore, Tanzania has set nutrition targets to tackle malnutrition, undernutrition, overweight or obesity, and micronutrient deficiency, and it is striving to reduce stunting to 15% by 2025. This is anticipated to boost fruit and vegetable intake among Tanzanians. Also, organically produced crops are gaining traction due to the rise in consumer concerns over the usage of chemical pesticides or fertilizers. With the increase in consumers switching to healthier alternatives, the demand for fruits and vegetables is projected to grow during the forecast period.
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Growing Export Opportunities
- Fruit and vegetable exports from Tanzania have grown in the past few years, becoming a leading sub-sector driving the agricultural sector's growth. The rising awareness targeting the export toward demanding markets helped the farmers increase the quality standards of their vegetables, making them highly profitable.
- Producers have formed groups to produce as contract farmers or out-growers to large-scale export firms, for instance, MUVIKHO, an umbrella organization comprising groups of vegetable farmers. Also, a national farmers' organization called TAHA (Tanzania Horticulture Association) represents all of the country's farmers regardless of their farm size. It has a direct link with the government and other stakeholders.
- Furthermore, the market is flourishing due to the increased consumer demand globally, and organizations are putting efforts into developing new varieties while producers focus on sustainable production. New markets like India are also opening up for fruits from Tanzania. For instance, In 2022, India opened its market for Tanzanian avocado, which is set to improve the export ties.
- According to ITC, major destination countries of fruit and vegetables from Tanzania are Vietnam, India, Netherlands, United Kingdom, among others. In 2021, the total export value for vegetables was USD 310.8 million, marking an increase of 40.6% from 2020. The major fruits produced and exported from the country are banana, mango, orange, watermelon, etc. Due to the trade liberalization policies, bananas are a highly traded commodity in the country. Bananas are famous primarily for their non-seasonal nature and play a key role in ensuring food availability all year round. The orange export from Tanzania is also increasing after a huge slump in the past years.
- According to ITC Trade data, in 2020, the export value was USD 151,000, and in 2021 it reached USD 481,000. Thus, the demand from export markets for sustainably produced fruits and vegetables is the main factor driving the market.
