Tanzania research institute develops new disease resistant coffee varieties

By ZEPHANIA UBWANI
Special Correspondent

The Tanzania Coffee Research Institute in Moshi has developed coffee varieties that are resistant to coffee berry disease and leaf rust.

The government will distribute six million seedlings to farmers to double production from the current 50,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes a year by 2015, Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives Joseph Mungai told delegates at the recent Third East African Fine Coffee Conference and Exhibition in Arusha.

The country plans to produce 70,000 tonnes of coffee per year by 2010, Mr Mungai said. "We need to increase both production and quality, especially now that coffee is fetching good prices in international markets," he said

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