Tanzania is not frequently associated with coffee production, but is one of Africa's biggest growers after better known producers like Ethiopia, Uganda and Ivory Coast.
The Tanzania Daily News reported that the Tanzania Coffee Board forecasts 55,000 tonnes of coffee exports in the 2012 season, significantly up from 2011's 33,000 tonnes.
Last year's much lower figure was to a large extent due to unusually poor rains. The TCB says good rains this year and better marketing account for this year's higher export figures.
A TCB official said the forecast 55,000 tonnes of coffee exports was expected to yield the country US$200 million. At an average of US$275, the earnings versus quantities produced shows how just how much countries that export primary products lose out on the international market place.
It is very little money for a tremendous amount of work. It will mainly be players outside Tanzania who will reap most of the value-chain benefits of the country's hard-work-for-low-rewards
African Agriculture