<p></p><p>The Bank of Tanzania has allocated a Tsk29 billion (US$18.3 million) loan to purchase cashew-nuts 'stranded' in warehouses across Tanzania.According to Tanzania's Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda, the money will be directed to small holders who did not receive payment after having sold thier produce to cooperatives."The central bank loan is a government effort to help farmer's cooperatives to pay arrears of their members. The money will mostly be directed to cashew-nut farmers in Mtwara and Lindi, in the southern part of Tanzania," Pinda said.</p> <p>Pinda said that price fluctuations were also a challenge to the nut growers and urged them to form unions to form boards to focus on this issue.During the last season 157,000 tons of cashews were produced in the country, but only 72,000 tons were sold. The rest remain in warehouses. This has led to the cooperatives owing growers a collective amount of Tsk64.7 billion (US$40.9 million). </p><p> </p><br><p></p>