TANZANIA · ECONOMY
Key Facts
- The country Tanzania is an East African nation whose economy leans heavily on farming, mining and tourism.
- What happened Agriculture Minister Daniel Chongolo said on Wednesday 4 November 2026 that horticulture supplies 38% of foreign exchange earnings.
- The sector Horticulture means fruit and vegetables; the minister says it employs 6.5 million people, 70% women and youth.
- The event HortiLogistica Africa 2026, a trade exhibition, runs from Sunday 8 to Tuesday 10 November in Arusha.
- The buyers The minister expects more than 300 stakeholders from 42 countries.
Tanzania’s government said on Wednesday 4 November 2026 that fruit and vegetable farming supplies 38% of the foreign exchange the country earns. Agriculture Minister Daniel Chongolo gave the figure in Dodoma, the capital, while briefing journalists ahead of a major trade exhibition in Arusha.
For US readers, the number shows how much of an African economy now depends on selling fresh produce to buyers abroad. Our guide to who runs Tanzania’s economy explains the other large earners.
What Happened
Chongolo said horticulture, which covers fruit and vegetables, supplies 38% of Tanzania’s foreign exchange earnings. Foreign exchange means the dollars, euros and other foreign money that a country earns by selling goods and services abroad.
He said the share reflects rising demand for Tanzanian produce in African and other international markets. Chongolo called the sector a significant part of Tanzania’s economy.
Who Works in the Sector
The minister said horticulture employs 6.5 million people, and that 70% of them are women and young people. He did not say how many of those jobs are full time.
Irene Mlola, the director general of the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA), the state body that oversees produce trade, said more than 500 types of crops are exported to foreign markets. She urged young people to attend the exhibition and learn modern farming methods, which she said could cut unemployment.
The Arusha Exhibition
The exhibition, called HortiLogistica Africa 2026, takes place from Sunday 8 to Tuesday 10 November at the TGT Grounds, an exhibition venue in Arusha, a northern city that is a hub for farming and tourism. The Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), the industry group that represents growers and exporters, says it will give businesses, exporters, buyers and investors a place to make deals.
Chongolo said more than 300 stakeholders from 42 countries, in and outside Africa, are expected. Dr Yansinta Nzogela, the ministry’s director of crops, said the event should fix weak links between African buyers and producers, let buyers state their quality needs directly to farmers, and help producers identify where to source produce.
What the Government Wants
Chongolo listed three goals: higher productivity, higher farmer incomes and more public revenue. He said producers should sell directly to buyers and investors instead of through brokers, who he said often pay below the going market rate.
He also named grape juice as a product where better preservation could make it last longer and sell for more. The government has not published a target or a deadline for any of these goals.
Why It Matters
If the minister’s figure is right, fruit and vegetables carry a large part of what Tanzania earns abroad, so harvests, weather and shipping links matter for the country’s supply of foreign money. A country with more foreign money can pay for imports, including fuel, more easily.
The minister’s emphasis on direct sales signals that the government wants growers to keep more of the price. Foreign buyers could therefore deal more often with farmer groups than with brokers.
What It Means for You
If you import fresh produce, spices or flowers, or invest in African food supply chains, Tanzania is trying to meet you in Arusha from 8 to 10 November. Buyers can state quality requirements directly to growers there, according to the agriculture ministry.
Travelers to northern Tanzania should know that Arusha hosts the exhibition on those days. The figure itself does not change any rule for visitors or for US companies.
What Is Not Known
The government has not said which year or period the 38% covers, or whether it counts all exports or only farm exports. Other reports describe the 38% as the share of farm exports, so the base may be narrower than the minister’s wording.
The government has not published the sector’s export value in US dollars, or said which crops contribute most. It is also not known how many foreign buyers will sign contracts in Arusha.
More: Tanzania news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much of Tanzania’s Foreign Exchange Comes From Horticulture?
The government says 38%. Agriculture Minister Daniel Chongolo gave the figure on Wednesday 4 November 2026, without saying which period it covers.
What Is Horticulture?
It is the growing of fruit, vegetables and similar crops for food and sale. Tanzania’s government says the sector employs 6.5 million people.
When Is HortiLogistica Africa 2026?
It runs from Sunday 8 to Tuesday 10 November 2026 at the TGT Grounds in Arusha. The minister expects more than 300 stakeholders from 42 countries.
Sources: Government of Tanzania, Ministry of Agriculture, briefing by Minister Daniel Chongolo in Dodoma, 4 November 2026; Ministry of Agriculture, statements by the Director of Crops on the exhibition, 4 November 2026; Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA), statements by its director general, 4 November 2026; Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), information on HortiLogistica Africa 2026, November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief