The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.
Maize is the main staple crop in Tanzania. Rice and beans are also very important, the latter constituting the main source of protein for most low and middle-income households. Dar es Salaam is the main consumer market in the country. Arusha is another important market and is linked with Kenya in the north. Dodoma represents the central region of the country, a semi-arid, deficit area. Mtwara sits in a south coastal deficit area while Songea andMbeya represent the southern highlands. Tanga is also a coastal town in the north, with trade connections with Kenya.