Tanzania president orders army to buy nuts

The president blamed “the procrastination of private operators, who were offering very low prices” for cashews, among the country’s biggest cash crops, for the decision to send in the army.

The state-owned Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank was ordered “to release the necessary funds for the purchase of these cashews, and the army is to deploy to buy the entire production,” the statement said.

Since his election three years ago Magufuli has picked numerous fights with private businesses that he accuses of giving Tanzanians a raw deal.

The state-owned cashew processing plant, where raw nuts are shelled, is also to be taken over by the army.

Magufuli’s government is hoping for a crop of 220,000 tonnes this year.

“We will buy the entire crop, then we will look for buyers and we will eat anything that is not sold,” Magufuli said, according to the statement.