The Tanzania Commercial Poultry Association (TCPA) and the Tanzania Feed Manufacturers Association (TAFMA) are spearheading initiatives to cultivate a business environment that will empower the local poultry sector and achieve global competitiveness. This partnership aims to support Tanzanian poultry farmers and consumers by providing safe, affordable, and high-quality inputs like day-old chicks and poultry feed, thereby driving business growth.
However, achieving global competitiveness requires a unified effort among all stakeholders to dismantle the barriers impeding the sector’s growth and profitability. Addressing both local and international challenges that affect production and supply chains is essential for establishing Tanzania as a formidable player on the world stage.
One of the most significant challenges today is the rising cost and inconsistent supply of soya meal, a vital component of poultry feed. Accounting for approximately 26% of feed costs—with maize at approximately 41%— soya meal is crucial to the industry.
Despite a stable domestic supply of maize, Tanzania experiences a notable deficit in soya meal production. Annually, the demand for soya meal stands between 130,000 and 150,000 metric tons, while production hovers between 10,000 and 40,000 metric tons. This substantial gap necessitates heavy reliance on imports, primarily from neighboring countries like Malawi and Zambia.
Recent adverse weather patterns have severely affected agricultural yields in these countries, leading to a ban on the export of soya meal products from Zambia and raw soya beans from Malawi—a situation that may extend to soya meal. Consequently, the price of soya meal has surged by nearly 26% over the past three months.
In response to this crisis, it is imperative for Tanzania to seek alternative soya meal sources outside the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. However, a 10% duty surcharge on non-SADC imports under current Tanzanian duty structures further burdens poultry feed manufacturers with rising costs.
The poultry sector stakeholders are advocating for the government to eliminate these import duties for all non-SADC soya meals used in livestock feed production. This critical reform would mitigate immediate shortages and stabilize prices by diversifying supply sources, ultimately ensuring a consistent supply of this essential feed component.
The removal of the import duty on soya meal would offer both direct and indirect benefits to Tanzania’s poultry sector. Directly, it would allow feed manufacturers to import from a wider range of suppliers, ensuring a stable and affordable supply of soya meal.
Indirectly, it would enhance the bargaining power of Tanzanian poultry producers, giving them access to more competitive pricing options and reducing the risk of monopolistic practices in feed markets.
Moreover, eliminating the duty would not negatively affect government revenues since the current restrictions already limit access to soya meals from outside SADC. Instead, this reform would align with the broader national goals of fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and ensuring food security.
The poultry industry is a cornerstone of Tanzania’s economy, engaging over 55.4% of households involved in livestock farming—many of which are run by women and youth. Registered companies in this sector not only generate significant employment but also contribute over TZS 45 billion in taxes annually. Therefore, maintaining the sector’s viability is crucial for both economic development and national food security.
Continued import duties on non-SADC soya meal pose a substantial threat to the financial stability of poultry feed manufacturers and farmers, risking significant sectoral disruptions.
Local breeders and feed manufacturers urgently call on all stakeholders—farmers, policymakers, and government officials—to unite and address the soya meal crisis by removing restrictive duties. By doing so, Tanzania can secure a competitive edge in the global poultry market, ensuring sustainable growth and enhancing food security.
This initiative will benefit poultry farmers and align with Tanzania’s goals of economic empowerment, particularly for women and youth, and combating malnutrition by making affordable poultry protein more accessible.
