How new edible oil strategy aims to lower Sh500.6 billion import bill
The Tanzanian government has launched a 10-year National Edible Oil Strategy to reduce reliance on imports and achieve self-sufficiency by 2035. The plan focuses on increasing domestic production of sunflower and oil palm to save over $200 million in annual foreign exchange costs.
Why it matters
This strategy addresses national food security and economic stability by mitigating the risks of global supply chain shocks and high import costs.
Dodoma. The government yesterday unveiled an ambitious 10-year strategy aimed at ending Tanzania’s heavy reliance on imported edible oil, a move expected to save about $200 million (Sh500.6 billion) in foreign exchange annually.
The National Edible Oil Strategy (NEOS), whose content was unveiled during a high-level Edible Oil Investment Forum in Dodoma, seeks to transform Tanzania from a major edible oil importer into a self-sufficient producer and net exporter by 2035.
The strategy comes as the country grapples with a widening gap between domestic edible oil demand and local production.
According to 2025 estimates, Tanzania requires about 732,000 tonnes of edible oil annually.
However, local production fluctuates between 100,000 and 300,000 tonnes depending on the availability of raw materials, leaving an average annual deficit of about 400,000 tonnes. As a result, the country currently meets only about 40 percent of its edible oil requirements from domestic production.
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