Tanzania forced to deploy military to purchase cashew nuts from farmers amid price row

President orders increase in cost to protect country’s most valuable export crop

Tanzanian President John Magufuli announced in Jun that students would not be allowed to return to school after giving birth. (Reuters)

Tanzania has been forced to deploy the military to purchase cashew nuts from farmers in a bid to resolve the current row over prices.

President John Magufuli ordered an increase in cashew nut prices, the country’s most valuable export crop, in an attempt to safeguard farmers from unsustainably low prices.

Farmers had halted sales after saying the amount the crop could command was too low for them to continue to operate.

After fixing prices of the commodity, Mr Magufuli rejected offers of $1.3 (£1) per kilogram from the private sector.

Instead he ordered the military to buy the produce for $1.43 per kilogram.

The president fired two ministers and dissolved the industry regulator over the price row for failing to manage the industry properly.

Charles Tizeba, minister of agriculture, and his trade counterpart Charles Mwijage were sacked from their posts.

Opposition politicians have claimed the president is using the crisis to boost his popularity in the Mtwara region, a cashew nut hotspot which has so far not supported his presidency.

Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe said that Mr Magufuli should seek parliamentary approval before the government starts buying cashews from farmers.

“The government needs 600 billion shillings (£200m) to pay farmers. This money requires parliamentary approval,” Mr Kabwe wrote on Twitter.

“If the president want to do this without following the law we will oppose him.”

Agencies contributed to this report