<p>Mtwara — CHAMA Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has called for cashew nuts processing plants which have been turned into warehouses to be returned to the government, to ensure the crop is processed in the country to add value and boost the country's economy.</p> <p>Addressing a public rally in Newala District, CCM Secretary General, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, said the ruling party would meet with ministers responsible for agriculture and industry and trade to discuss about appropriation of the defunct plants."We must process our cashew nuts in local plants to add value of the produce. This will be of benefit to the farmers," said the CCM secretary general, who is on official tour of the region to inspect the implementation of the party's 2010 election manifesto.Reports suggest that over 90 per cent of the raw cashewnuts are exported to Kerala in India for processing. The move denies farmers maximum profits from the cash crops.Mr Kinana explained that the cashewnuts processing plants were privatised to improve production, but instead investors have turned the plants into warehouses to store raw cashewnuts before exporting them.</p> <p>"If we revive our processing plants, more young people will benefit from employment opportunities thus improving social development," he observed.Fluctuations in world market prices for cashewnuts have been a source of discontent for growers of the crop. CCM recently directed its Members of Parliament (MPs) representing constituencies from the southern regions of Lindi and Mtwara to work on challenges facing cashewnut farmers to improve the national development.</p> <p>Mr Kinana made the directive while addressing a party's internal meeting in Masasi District early this week, saying the lawmakers should ensure that the two regions get their own cashewnuts processing plants."Why should we export raw cashewnuts to other countries while we could process them here?" he queried.</p> <p> </p>