Tanzania has become the world’s second-largest producer of pigeon peas, with production expected to reach over 400,000 tonnes in the 2024/2025 season, according to the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA).
With production projected to exceed 400,000 tonnes in 2024/2025, Tanzania maintains its position as the second-largest global producer, after India, where it exported around 350,000 tonnes of pigeon peas to India in the previous season.
Despite lower global prices, Tanzanian farmers continue to benefit significantly from these exports.
COPRA Director General Irene Mlola said Tanzanian farmers currently earn about 75% of India’s domestic price for pigeon peas, ranging between TZS 1,200 and TZS 950 per kilogram.
She explained that the price decline is mainly due to increased global production from other exporting countries supplying India, which has intensified competition in the market.
Mlola noted that the Government of Tanzania is implementing measures to strengthen trade cooperation with India to secure stable access for Tanzanian pigeon peas in India’s national food reserves.
As part of these efforts, COPRA led a government delegation to India to discuss the planned government-to-government sales arrangement.
The delegation met with India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs to advance talks on the implementation of the direct export mechanism.
