Decline in Quality of Tanzanian Cotton Due to Contamination

TLDR

• Mr Ntumba said more than 70 per cent of the country’s cotton lint is exported, making it essential to maintain high standards of cleanliness and quality to remain competitive in the global market.
• According to him, the contamination has caused more than 75 per cent of the country’s cotton lint to be sold at discounted prices on the international market.
• He said Tanzanian cotton lint is classified into seven grades: TANG, GANY+1/2, GANY, GANY-1/4, GANY1/2, GANY-3/4 and YIKA.
• Mr Ntumba said the TANG and GANY+1/2 grades command premium prices because of their superior fibre quality.
• He, however, noted that the quality of Tanzanian cotton has been declining due to the practice by some farmers and buyers of mixing the crop with foreign materials, including water, sand and other waste, resulting in.