Zanzibar - THE Isles government, through its Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC) has increased clove prices vowing further that it will be purchasing the crop in accordance with the world market price in order to promote the product.
The Isles Minister for Trade, Industry, Marketing and Tourism, Mr. Mahamed Aboud Mohamed has said here that the ZSTC would be buying clove in accordance with price fluctuations pertaining in the world market instead of having uniform prices over long period. He has announced here that all measures including new prices would start to apply today.
On the new prices, he said while grade one will now be sold at Tshs2, 500 from Tshs1, 500 per kilogram before, grade two would be sold at Tshs2, 400 per kilogram and not Tshs1, 400 before. Under the new price scheme, grade three would fetch Tshs2000 as compared to only Tshs1, 200. According to his announcement, grade four will be sold at Ths1, 500 and not Tshs800. It is not clear however that apart from increasing prices, measures would also solve smuggling out of the crop. Clove smuggling has been the biggest problem in the agricultural sector in Zanzibar, prompting the government to double up efforts aimed at curbing the malpractice. So far the ZSTC has provided for an incentive of up to 20 percent of smuggled clove intercepted for the parties concerned.
The organization has also teamed up with security organs by contributing working tools for the cloves anti-smuggling campaigns including fuel for vehicles and ocean going vessels. "Zanzibar government will take stern measures against clove smugglers. We order that all growers should route their crops through ZSTC," the Minister has announced.
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