Aflatoxin contamination costs Tanzanian agriculture greatly: researchers

Tanzania is losing over 332 million U.S. dollars annually from the negative impacts of aflatoxin, a deadly toxin affecting cereal crops like maize, sorghum, rice, wheat, groundnuts and cassava, researchers said on Wednesday.

"Agricultural products contaminated with aflatoxin poses a major threat to human and animal health," said Bendantunguka Tiisekwa, a senior researcher at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), when speaking at the Tanzania stakeholders meeting for reviewing draft aflatoxin action plan and mainstreaming into the Tanzania Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plan (TAFSIP).