Tanzanian growth better than expected-finance minister

DAR ES SALAAM, May 29 (Reuters) - Tanzania's economy expanded by 6 percent in 2009, beating a forecast for 5.0-5.5 percent growth, and should grow by 7 percent this year, the east African country's finance minister said.

Finance Minister Mustafa Mkulo gave the figures to a parliamentary committee on finance and economic affairs late on Friday. A report of the session was seen by Reuters on Saturday.

The minister also said Tanzanian's inflation rate should slow to 8 percent in June 2010, higher than an earlier forecast of 6 percent, and that the country's inflation rate was 12.1 percent in 2009.

(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala; Editing by David Clarke and Paul Tait) Keywords: TANZANIA ECONOMY/ (Email:[e-mail]; [phone]) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.