<p></p><p>The government has ordered Coast Region Co-operative Union (Corecu) and Cashew Nut Board of Tanzania to bar from export over 500 tonnes of raw cashew nuts belonging to Sparkle Way Ltd until the firm pays Sh3.4 billion it owes farmers in the Coast Region. <br></p> <p>On December 18, this year, the minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Mwigulu Nchemba, ordered Sparkle Way Ltd to pay the debt owed to cashew nut farmers worth Sh3.4 billion within 48 hours. <br></p> <p>Speaking to The Citizen yesterday the regional commissioner for Coast Region, Mr Evarist Ndikilo, said he had information that until last week the company had paid Sh400 million but the government's stance is that unless the total amount of debts are paid the responsible company would not be allowed to continue with cashew nut export transactions <br></p> <p>The situation implies that until last week the amount of debt paid was only 33.3 per cent, with the remaining figure amounting to Sh3 billion still being demanded by hundreds of farmers in the Coast Region. Mr Ndikilo said it was up to Corecu to track payment of such debts for government's approval of the company to continue with cashew nut transactions.<br></p><p></p>