Tanzania Ditches Dairy Imports as Local Production Soars

In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania saw a decrease in dairy product imports by 1,657,372 liters — dropping from 11,747,140 liters in the fiscal year 2023/24 to 10,089,768 liters in 2024/25—due to intensified governmental measures aimed at boosting local production and decreasing dependence on foreign goods. During her recent address to Parliament, Livestock and Fisheries Minister Dr. Ashatu Kijaji reported that fewer import licenses have been granted: down from 782 totaling Sh23.42 billion to 630 amounting to Sh22.97 billion.
Dr. Kijaji highlighted an instance where ASAS Dairies Processing Plant initiated operations this year, focusing on powder milk with a capability of handling up to 100,000 liters each day. She also mentioned that under supervision by the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries via the Tanzanian Dairy Board (TDB), over 90.4 million liters of dairy items, priced at approximately Sh226 billion, underwent processing domestically and reached consumers.
She added that improved trading conditions led to enhanced consumption; individual milk intake escalated slightly from 67.5 liters in 2023/24 to 68.1 liters in 2024/25, whereas annual meat ingestion went up marginally from 16 kg to 17.6 kg per citizen. Nevertheless, these rates still fall short of FAO standards recommending yearly intakes of 200 liters of milk and 50 kilograms of meat per head.
On another front, Tanzania showcased robust progress in its fishing industry, witnessing substantial gains in overseas sales. By April 2025, the nation shipped out 44,317.78 tons of seafood alongside 176,009 live decorative fishes, fetching revenues close to Sh527.88 billion while contributing around Sh15.53 billion towards royalty income. These numbers signify a rise of about 7.38% versus prior-year statistics showing shipments totalling 41,271.07 tons along with earnings nearing Sh515.78 billion plus royalties adding up to roughly Sh14.45 billion.
Despite such positive trends globally, inland purchases spiked sharply last year, climbing steeply to reach totals near 89.78 metric tons valued just shy of Sh514.05 million and bringing additional taxes summing nearly Sh164.38 million—a considerable hike relative to earlier data indicating only 12.9 tons purchased before racking up values barely exceeding Sh252.41 million together with duties standing somewhere above Sh46.85 million.
Ministerial endeavors appear fruitful thus far, having successfully cut back reliance on external dairying supplies whilst bolstering national influence across East African aquatic commerce spheres. This information was provided courtesy of SyndiGate Media Incorporated.
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