CASHEWNUT Board of Tanzania (CBT) said yesterday cashew nut production expected to increase by almost 20 per cent in this season. The board said ten companies have been licensed to purchase 278,000 tonnes of cashews this season which starts early next month compared to 232,682 tonnes harvested last season in 2019/20. CBT Acting Director General Mr Juma Yusuf told reporters here that the auction this season, which its preparation is 95 per cent, will kick off in Mtwara and Lindi and other regions in the first week of next month. "Based on information from Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (Amcos) the availability of packaging is over 60 per cent of total requirements," Mr Yusuf said. This season requirement is 3,744,370 sacks while 2,367,333 are available as of yesterday. CBT Acting Director of Marketing and Quality Control Ms Domina Mkangara said that some 10 companies have registered to participate in the auction. "The companies that requested to participate in the auction have already been registered and licensed," she said. CBT promised to ensure that quality cashews are auctioned to safeguard the country's name by closely monitoring key players involved in the process of quality control of the nuts. Ms Mkangara said guidelines will be availed to AMCOS with strict aim of controling quality of the cashews during auctioning process. The board has also trained and issued special performance licence to quality control officers and warehouse operators to ensure integrity is observed among the players in the quality control. This season, CBT said that the auction will be conducted through online trading and use of boxes systems. The aim is to ensure the majority of the buyers in and outside the country participate in the auction. CBT through Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation Ministry sent the auction information to 43 Tanzanian embassies overseas to expand the market and attract more foreign buyers.