Tanzania targets 3 million tonnes of poultry feed demand

TANZANIA – Tanzania’s poultry industry targets about 3 million tonnes of poultry feed annually under a new 10-year development strategy, as the government seeks to increase egg and poultry meat production and attract private investment into the sector.

The National Poultry Development Strategy (NPDS) 2026-2036 is expected to require TSh3.53 trillion (US$1.4 billion) in investment over the decade, with the private sector projected to contribute 60% of the funding, according to Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Ng’wasi Kamani.

Speaking at the Tanzania-Netherlands Poultry Business Forum in Dar es Salaam, representatives from both countries highlighted opportunities to cooperate on animal nutrition, modern equipment, poultry housing, and research and technology.

The strategy aims to raise poultry’s contribution to gross domestic product from 1.8% to 3% by 2036, while expanding production to meet growing demand for eggs and poultry meat.

Feed supply central to production targets

Under the strategy, Tanzania plans to increase annual egg production from 7.1 billion to 17.3 billion and poultry meat output from 156,000 tonnes to 380,000 tonnes. 

Production of quality day-old chicks is targeted to rise from 104 million to 250 million annually.

Meeting these targets will require reliable supplies of quality feed, creating potential opportunities for feed manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and companies offering feed formulation and production technologies.

However, feed shortages and high production costs remain major challenges for poultry farmers. 

Sufian Kyarua, secretary-general of the Poultry Association of Tanzania (PAT), identified these constraints, along with limited access to finance, as barriers facing the industry.

The strategy is estimated to require TSh3.53 trillion in total investment, with development partners expected to provide 25% and the government the remaining 15%.

Tanzania and Netherlands explore cooperation

Onno Koopmans, deputy head of mission at the Netherlands’ embassy in Tanzania, said cooperation would focus on sharing technical expertise and supporting innovation across the poultry value chain.

He cited growing industry participation at the poultry exhibition, where the number of exhibition booths increased from eight to 18 in one year, as evidence of rising interest in the sector.

More than four million Tanzanian households, equivalent to 55% of households engaged in agriculture and livestock keeping, rear poultry, according to Kamani.

The strategy positions poultry as a contributor to food security, employment, household incomes and industrial development. 

Implementation will depend on coordination among government, producers, investors, researchers, and development partners, as well as improvements in feed availability and production efficiency.

The projected demand presents a significant market opportunity, but meeting it will require investment in manufacturing capacity, dependable ingredient supply chains and affordable, nutritionally balanced feed.

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