<p>The Cashewnut Board and the Cashew Industry Development Trust Fund (CIDTF) has allocated 17bn/- to facilitate the construction of three new cashew nut processing factories.</p> <p>Making the announcement in the National Assembly yesterday in the capital, Agricultural, Food Security and Corporative minister Eng Christopher Chiza said the factories will have the capacity to process at least 30,000 tons per year, (10,000 tons per each factory).</p> <p>The announcement was prompted by a principle question raised by Riziki Said Lulida (Special Seats, CCM) who wanted to know of government plans to revive idle cashewnut processing plants after they were privatised but are now collapsing due to lack of funds. In response, the minister said the government through CIDTF will construct new modern factories in Mkuranga, Tunduru and Mtwara.</p> <p>As for the old and underperforming ones, he said plans are underway to work together with owners of the factories on modalities to renovate them by facilitating owners of the factories with seed capital to rebuild the factories with modern equipment. According to the minister the government sold the factories to private individuals under the PSRC procedure, conferring them with title deeds to process cashewnuts but maintained that it is only unfortunate that the firms ran out of pocket to develop the factories.</p> <p>"We need to increase production and add value as well ... our target is to ensure there is high rate of production and we will work closer with factory owners,” he said. Between 1968 and 1980, the government built 12 cashewnut processing factories in Newala (2), Lindi (2), Masasi (1), Mtwara (2), Tunduru (1), Nachingwea (1), Dar es Salaam (2) and Kibaha (1).</p> <p>Despite all the efforts, the 12 factories did not work as expected, the reason being poor production that was outpaced by demand. While the factories require 116,000 tons of cashew nuts, production has dropped to 16,000 tons. The minister also announced that Prime Minister Mizengo Pindo is working to recover four other factories located in Masasi, Newala, Lindi and Nachingwea.</p> <p>Letters such as this spread inaccuracies about a science that has been in use for almost three decades, has allowed farmers to adopt more sustainable cropping systems and is one of the safest food technologies ever to be served to consumers.</p>