Sardine traders appeal for govts’ support on drying equipment

Unguja. Sardine traders have called on the government to provide modern drying equipment to enhance the quality of their products.

The appeal was made on Thursday, April 24, 2025, during an interview with The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi, at the Fungu Refu sardine drying site in North Unguja Region here.

The site accommodates over 3,000 entrepreneurs from the region, the majority of whom engage in small-scale sardine drying, highlighting the challenges they encounter in carrying out their activities.

Addressing some of these challenges, the site leader, Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed Bakar, said operations become particularly difficult during the rainy season and periods of strong winds, as traders are forced to rely on canvases, which are unsuitable and unsafe for food processing.

“Here, entrepreneurs use tarpaulins to dry sardines directly on the ground. When there are strong winds, the fish get contaminated with sand, which reduces the quality and value of our products,” he explained.

He urged the government to intervene by providing proper drying equipment and solar-powered drying systems, especially to aid operations during the rainy season.

Mr Bakar noted that under dry and sunny conditions, sardines usually take three to five hours to dry.

However, during rainy periods, the process can stretch to three or four days, leading to compromised quality and potential spoilage.

Another challenge he cited was the lack of reliable markets and the low prices often imposed by foreign buyers who travel to the island to purchase sardines.

He urged the government to create a stable and regulated market for sardines, akin to other agricultural and marine products, enabling entrepreneurs to receive a fair return for their efforts.

Regarding pricing, Mr Bakar said a single sack of sardines, equivalent to approximately 30 buckets of 20 litres each, is currently sold at Sh1 million due to limited supply.

“Local buyers are still few. Most customers come from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They also provide us with capital to process the sardines, but because of that, they control the prices. It leaves us with very little profit,” he noted.

He proposed that the government introduce price controls or consider becoming a direct buyer of sardines to help stabilise earnings for small-scale traders.

One of the local fish processors, Ms Halima Mansour, echoed these concerns and stressed the importance of government involvement, noting that the sardine drying sector employs many young people who might otherwise be idle or engaged in less productive activities.

“This work helps our youth earn a living and stay away from trouble. But we can’t grow without proper equipment and government support,” said Ms Mansour.

Responding to the concerns, Director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Products Development in Zanzibar, Dr Salum Soud Hamed, acknowledged the challenges and assured traders that the government was taking steps to address them.

He said efforts are underway to build fish processing plants and provide drying racks (chanja) to entrepreneurs across Unguja and Pemba.

“We have started in Kama and Ndagoni, where we’ve constructed sardine processing facilities and distributed drying racks with infrastructure suitable for the rainy season,” said Dr Salum.

He added that the Fungu Refu area is included in the budget for the next financial year, during which a fish processing plant will be established, and traders in the area will receive drying equipment.

Dr Salum explained that these interventions aim to improve the quality of sardines, boost earnings for local entrepreneurs, and facilitate access to better prices and international markets.

“These are not short-term fixes. We are laying a foundation for a sustainable fish processing industry that can compete regionally and globally,” he said.