By Alfred Zacharia
Tanzania is expected to benefit from a new fertilizer factory that will be built in Tabora Region. The factory will produce fertilizer for tobacco farming.
This development follows the growing partnership between the governments of Tanzania and Zambia.
The factory will be built by United Capital Fertilizer Zambia Company Limited (UCFL), a well-known company in Zambia that produces fertilizer for different crops, including tobacco.
The announcement was made on May 27, 2025 during a working visit to Zambia by a team of leaders and experts from Tanzania. The team included representatives from the Tabora Regional Office, the Tanzania Fertilizer Company (TFC), and the Tanzania Tobacco Board (TTB).
While welcoming the team, the Chairman of the UCFL Board, Mr. Chance Kabaghe, said his company is ready to support Tanzania by bringing fertilizer closer to its farmers. “You have come to see how we produce tobacco fertilizer. This is important because it helps you understand the process before the product reaches the farmer,” he said.
According to Mr. Samuel Mshote, Managing Director of TFC, the partnership between the two countries started in 2024 when UCFL won a tender to supply tobacco fertilizer for the 2024/2025 farming season.
The fertilizer they supplied was NPK 10:18:24, which performed well on farms.
“Tobacco farmers saw a big improvement. The number of leaves per plant increased from 16 to 20,” said Mr. Mshote.
The success, according to him, encouraged the government to expand the partnership and bring the factory to Tanzania.
The Ministry of Agriculture has approved the idea of building a local factory. It aims to make fertilizer more available and reduce the need to import it from other countries.
The plan is part of wider efforts to support tobacco farmers and improve production.
Tabora Regional Commissioner, Hon. Paul Chacha, said Tabora is the right place for this investment.
“Tanzania is the second-largest producer of tobacco in Africa. About 70 percent of our tobacco comes from Tabora. So, this factory is good news for our farmers,” he said.
Mr. Chacha also promised full support from the regional government.
“We will make sure investors have everything they need to succeed. This project will boost the economy of Tabora and the entire country,” he added.
The Tanzanian team is in Zambia to learn how tobacco fertilizer is made and how it is delivered to farmers. They will use this knowledge to help build and run the new factory in Tanzania.
Once complete, the fertilizer factory in Tabora will make it easier for farmers to access the right fertilizer at the right time. It will also lower farming costs, increase crop yields, and support the growth of Tanzania’s tobacco sector.
