The Tanzanian government has decided to implement a three-month tax exemption on imports of maize with immediate effect.

A government statement available on Wednesday said that the move is aimed at preparing for the potential food shortage now looming large in some areas of the east African country.

"This move aims at boosting maize supply and thus keeping its prices low," said the statement.

Some 613,000 people are calculated to need 21,500 tons of food relief before the start of the annual long rain season in April, according to an earlier government estimate.

But both figures are now feared to rise due to the poor or failure of rainfalls so far in the country.

The government statement also said that more food would be supplied from the country's Strategic Grain Reserve through district authorities at low prices.

Rainfall has been scarce in the annual short rain season that started last November. In some places the rainfall was only half the normal amount so far, according to the Tanzania Meteorological Agency.

Source: Xinhua