Samia: Karafuu house should boost clove production

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Tuesday, January 9, that despite cloves cultivated in Zanzibar boasting a unique and exceptional quality globally, the crop's productivity remains insufficient, which makes the isles unable to meet the available market demand.

Following the situation, the government has put in place strategies to increase the production of the crop, which is highly demanded worldwide and is a leading export commodity in the islands, she said.

Speaking yesterday, shortly after launching a new building for the Zanzibar State Trade Corporation (ZSTC) in Chake Chake, Pemba, President Hassan said that in recognition of the importance of the crop, the revolutionary government of Zanzibar has continued to make various efforts to raise the value of the crop, which is the backbone of Zanzibar’s economy.

The ZSTC centre, popularly known as ‘Karafuu House,’ will be used as a clove sales centre.

The head of state said that governments on both sides of the union have always given priority to the crop by implementing plans to increase its value, including looking for investors to invest in the value chain of cloves produced in the country.

"There is still a large market for cloves, but so far we have not met the market’s demand. So we have every reason to increase production. Currently, the average production is 1.4 tonnes per acre, while other countries produce an average of 1.7 tonnes per acre,” said the president.

She noted that, as a result, the government will continue to look for opportunities to increase knowledge and expertise to increase productivity and quality in clove cultivation.

"Let us be careful when we are looking for scientific ways to increase productivity so that we do not lower the status and quality of our clove, as has happened with rice," said President Hassan.

Regarding the building, she said its opening was one step forward as it will make it easier for farmers to sell their cloves, and the collection is done according to the correct standards required in the international market.

"Now that cloves are bought scientifically, the era of measuring them by hand and telling the farmer that your cloves are wet is gone; that harm is now over," she noted.

"The cloves from Zanzibar to abroad are fresh, and we are going to dominate the clove market in the world. We can say this is our diamond; we have to take care of it, respect it, and develop it."

She emphasised, "Let the government work to bring investors to increase productivity in the value chain and sell products derived from cloves so that we can make a profit; stop smuggling.

Zanzibar State Trading Corporation is a government institution that supports the clove sector through investments, research programmes, farmer incentives, and policies such as price subsidies and insurance.

Cloves have been a significant foreign exchange earner for Zanzibar for the past 150 years.