By Business Insider Reporter
Stanbic Bank Tanzania has pledged to finance businesses across the country’s coffee value chain as annual export earnings approach US$400 million.
The lender says it is ready to support key players, from farmers and cooperatives to processors and exporters, with financing to expand production, strengthen value addition and capitalize on growing export opportunities.
“Tanzania’s coffee is ready for the world. Our role is to be the growth partner behind it, connecting producers, aggregators, processors and commodity traders with the finance they need to invest in production, add value and compete for export markets,” said Benifrida Tarimo, Stanbic Bank Tanzania’s Head of Agribusiness.
The commitment, reaffirmed at the Kahawa Festival in Moshi from October 8 to 10, comes as Tanzania’s coffee export earnings have more than doubled from US$164.3 million in 2022 to US$391.7 million in the year to June 2026.
The Bank of Tanzania’s August 2026 Monthly Economic Review puts earnings at US$396 million for the year to July.
Stanbic said in a presser that its financing solutions cover farm expansion and mechanisation, processing facilities, warehousing, working capital, trade finance and export transactions, targeting the different capital requirements of businesses throughout the crop’s value chain.
For farmers, financing could support expanded cultivation and improved quality. Cooperatives could use working capital to pay growers promptly and store harvested coffee properly, while exporters could finance larger orders and bridge the period between shipment and payment.
The approach reflects the importance of financing not only agricultural production but also the infrastructure and commercial operations needed to move coffee from farms into international markets.
Beyond increasing production and exports, a central opportunity lies in retaining more of the crop’s value within Tanzania. Much of the country’s coffee is currently exported as green beans, while roasting, packaging and branding are largely undertaken in overseas markets.
“There is more value in every bean than Tanzania earns today. When local enterprises process, package and brand more of our coffee, they create jobs, raise export revenues and build Tanzanian coffee brands that can compete anywhere in the world,” Ms Tarimo said.
Expanding domestic processing could create opportunities for local investors in roasting plants, packaging facilities, storage, distribution and coffee branding. It could also strengthen linkages between farmers and local manufacturers, allowing more businesses to participate in the sector beyond primary production.
The opportunity is reinforced by prospects for wider international market access, particularly in China. Stanbic says it connects Tanzanian exporters with buyers, roasters and distributors in China and other strategic markets through its parent group, Standard Bank Group. Its clients can also settle trade with Chinese partners directly in yuan.
China’s coffee imports increased from 59,100 tonnes in 2015 to 213,300 tonnes in 2024, according to customs figures published by the Shanghai Municipal Government. The expanding market presents potential opportunities for Tanzanian exporters, although exploiting them will depend on competitiveness, quality, reliable supply and effective buyer relationships.
Tanzania Coffee Board Chairperson Prof. Aurelia Kamuzora welcomed financial institutions willing to invest alongside farmers, cooperatives and processors. She said government investment in seedlings, extension services and improved marketing systems was beginning to produce results, while emphasising the need for greater domestic value addition.
The government aims to raise annual coffee production to 300,000 tonnes by 2030, from about 81,000 tonnes in the 2024/25 season. Achieving the target will require substantial improvements in productivity, crop quality, financing access and processing capacity. Stanbic’s commitment therefore comes at a time when the sector must translate rising export earnings into sustainable production growth and stronger domestic enterprises. The extent of its contribution will ultimately depend on the financing deployed, the businesses reached and the investment generated across the value chain.
