ACPA. Frank Abel Hails ASAS Group’s Local Milk Powder Production as a Strategic Breakthrough for Tanzania

ASAS Group Achieves Major Milestone with Launch of Locally Produced Powdered Milk

Iringa, Tanzania – April 2025

In a groundbreaking development for Tanzania’s dairy industry, ASAS Group has officially commenced production of locally made powdered milk—marking a bold stride toward national self-reliance and food security.

The announcement drew praise from development professionals and agricultural stakeholders, including ACPA. Frank Abel, Senior Programme Accountant at AMREF, who shared his reflections on LinkedIn. Abel described the achievement as “truly remarkable” and a “strategic breakthrough” for Tanzania’s agricultural and industrial sectors.

Recalling a visit to the ASAS factory in Iringa ten years ago—organized by the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT)—Abel highlighted the company’s longstanding ambition and potential to transform the country’s dairy sector. “Even back then, it was clear that ASAS had the ambition and potential to transform Tanzania’s dairy industry,” he noted. “Seeing how far you’ve come—now producing locally made powdered milk—is nothing short of inspiring.”

For years, Tanzania has relied on imported powdered milk to meet domestic demand. Trade statistics indicate that over 2,000 metric tons have been imported annually, costing the national economy billions of Tanzanian shillings. ASAS’s new local production capacity is expected to significantly reduce this dependency.

According to Abel, this milestone will:

• Strengthen the local dairy value chain from farm to factory,
• Create jobs and market opportunities for smallholder farmers,
• Reduce the import bill and improve trade balance, and
• Expand access to affordable, high-quality nutrition for Tanzanians.

To fully leverage this progress, Abel called for action from both public and private sectors. “Government support through enabling policies, subsidies, and public procurement can increase uptake and trust in local products,” he urged. “Financial institutions should step forward to support further expansion, value addition, and market penetration through affordable financing and investment guarantees.”

ASAS’s success aligns with national goals under Tanzania’s agricultural transformation agenda and the broader continental vision of the Feed Africa initiative, as endorsed at the Dakar 2 Summit.

“ASAS has made the bold statement: ‘We can, we did, and we lead.’ Now it’s time for the entire ecosystem to rally behind this progress. Tanzania is ready. The future of dairy is local,” Abel concluded.

Source: ACPA. Frank Abel via LinkedIn