According to a report in Tanzanian mainstream media Citizen on April 7, the 100, 000t cashew purchase agreement signed by the Tanzanian government and a Kenyan company seems to have expired and governmental agencies are looking for new buyers.

Tanzania Trade Development Authority (Tantrade) invited interested buyers to bid for 220, 000 tons of raw cashew nuts and 240 tons of processed cashew nuts on the 6th.

In January, Tanzania reached an agreement with Indo Power Solutions of Kenya, which will purchase 100, 000 tons of raw cashew nuts for 418 billion TZS (about USD 180 million). At that time, the number of cashews to be sold reached 221, 000 tons. Tantrade’s announcement means only 820 tons of cashew nuts have been sold since January.

Joseph Buchweishaija, Permanent Secretary of the Tanzanian Ministry of Industry and Trade, pointed out in an interview the deal with Kenyan companies has not yet been realized. Tanzania has neither received any documents to prove that it has paid for the cashew nuts nor transported them by truck. This means cashew nuts have not yet been sold, which is why Tanzania is looking for buyers through Tantrade.

Shortly after Tanzania signed a cashew purchase agreement with a Kenyan company on January 30, Kenyan media reported that Indo Power Solutions appeared to be a shell company whose ability to raise billions of dollars to reach the deal was questioned.