Tanzania Targets 50% Cut in Poultry Feed Costs Under New Plan

Tanzania has introduced a 3.5 trillion-shilling strategy aimed at reducing the cost of poultry feed and strengthening local production of key feed ingredients.

The National Poultry Development Strategy 2026–2036 seeks to bring feed costs down from about 70 percent of poultry production expenses to 50 percent.

Under the plan, soybean production is expected to rise from 25,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes by 2036. Twenty percent of the local soybean output will be directed to poultry feed production.

The government will also establish a 33-billion-shilling fund to support access to financing for soybean inputs and storage.

Maize production for animal feed is expected to double from 750,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes. Tanzania also plans to promote high-yielding yellow maize, quality protein maize and drought-tolerant varieties.

The strategy includes contract farming and upgrades to feed-processing facilities, with a target of 80 percent utilisation of feed mills.

Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Ng’wasi Kamani, said increasing local soybean production and improving maize storage would help reduce feed prices and dependence on imports.

Private investors are expected to provide 60 percent of the strategy’s 3.5 trillion-shilling financing.

The government also aims to raise poultry’s contribution to Tanzania’s GDP from 1.8 percent to at least three percent by 2036.