In a push to modernise the horticulture industry, the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), via its research-and-information arm Research & Information Centre (TARIC), has launched a digital platform named HortiMarket, aimed at connecting smallholder farmers, buyers, exporters and logistics providers in real time.
The platform, considered a “structural intervention” in the horticultural value chain, is accessible online at www.taric.co.tz, via the TaricApp mobile application, a WhatsApp chatbot and a USSD code *14921#.
Its stated objective is to improve transparency, efficiency and farmer incomes by closing the information gap that has long plagued producers in Tanzania.
Tackling longstanding inefficiencies
For many years, horticultural farmers in Tanzania have struggled with limited market access, opaque pricing, and reliance on middlemen who often captured a significant share of value.
As one farmer from Rungwe in the Mbeya region put it: “Now we can see market prices and trends directly.”
TAHA Innovation and Knowledge Management head Steven Mhiliwa described the HortiMarket portal as more than just a technology upgrade, calling it “a major reform to improve transparency, efficiency and profitability.”
Meanwhile TAHA CEO Jacqueline Mkindi said the platform will enable farmers and agribusinesses to access real-time market prices, trends, logistics options and certification services even in low-connectivity areas.
Connecting producers with regional and global markets
Beyond improving domestic trade, HortiMarket is also being positioned as a gateway to regional and international markets.
Mr Anthony Chamanga, TAHA’s Chief Development Manager, highlighted that African countries imported around US$10 billion in horticultural produce in 2024 (up from US$7.6 billion a decade ago), offering a vast opportunity for Tanzanian growers.
Tanzania has already begun to tap into neighbouring markets: for example, its avocado exports to South Africa in 2024 were reported to reach around US$4 billion.
With HortiMarket facilitating direct connection between vendors and buyers, logistics providers and service firms, the hope is that producers will capture greater value from these growing opportunities.
Empowering smallholders at scale
HortiMarket is designed to serve over 500,000 smallholder farmers across 26 regions according to TAHA’s marketing team. In addition to direct trading, the platform incorporates “trade facilitators” who promote quality assurance, marketing and exports, and earn performance-based commissions.
This model is intended to elevate more farmers into formal value chains, reduce dependency on intermediaries and improve incomes for women and youth who dominate the smallholder segment.
Scalable features and future innovations
The design of HortiMarket is modular and intentionally built to support future upgrades. Potential features already foreseen include blockchain-based traceability, digital payment integration and AI-driven forecasting tools.
These enhancements aim to strengthen Tanzania’s competitiveness in high-value export markets where certification, supply-chain transparency and quality control matter.
What this means for horticultural business in Tanzania
For farmers, the platform promises access to information and markets they previously lacked: current price lists, buyer demand data, logistics options and export certification requirements are now within reach.
For agribusinesses and exporters, the hub offers pipeline visibility, direct sourcing opportunities, and better logistics coordination.
For the sector as a whole, it may unlock efficiencies and value capture that move Tanzania further up the horticulture ladder.
In a country whose horticultural exports reached US$417.7 million in 2023 — representing a 43.9 % increase from the previous year — the timing is opportune.
Challenges and the road ahead
Despite its strong potential, HortiMarket’s success will hinge on widespread farmer adoption—particularly in remote areas with poor connectivity—alongside effective logistics and cold-chain integration, a vibrant marketplace ecosystem, and strict adherence to export standards amid existing infrastructure gaps.
Still, the launch of HortiMarket signals a recommitment to digitalising agriculture and linking Tanzanian horticulture more directly to regional and global value chains.
As a turnkey digital marketplace for fruits, vegetables and other high-value crops, its rollout could well mark the beginning of a new era for Tanzania’s horticultural trade.
