Zanzibar to buy cloves from Tanga, Morogoro

ZANZIBAR: THE Zanzibar State Trade Corporation (ZSTC), the exclusive buyer of the Isles national cash crop, cloves, will soon start buying cloves produced from Morogoro and Tanga, in Tanzania Mainland, the House of Representatives session was informed here on Monday.

The good news for clove farmers in Morogoro and Tanga was announced by the Minister of Tourism and Heritage, Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga who spoke on behalf of the Minister of Trade and Industrial development.

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He said the decision follows suggestions from the House standing committee oversight on Tourism, Trade and Agriculture, to improve the ZSTC operations including the closing down of its shop in Dar es Salaam because it has not been productive.

“We have considered the suggestion and the shop has already been closed since June 30, this year. But have also expanded our businesses in mainland by starting to buy 500 tonnes of cloves from Tanga and Morogoro,” Mr Soraga said noting that the measure is expected to curtail illegal dealings and smuggling of cloves into Zanzibar.