Zanzibar moves to import rice, sugar to ease the cost of living

ZANZIBAR – The Zanzibar government, a semi-autonomous state of Tanzania, is planning to import essential products, particularly rice and sugar to curb the escalating domestic prices, President of Zanzibar Dr. Hussien Mwinyi has revealed.

Dr Mwinyi was speaking at the State House while officiating various activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1964 revolution.

He said the government has taken multiple measures to control inflation in the Islands. He, however, admitted that some causes of the price hike are beyond the government’s control.

 He attributed the price hike of rice and sugar to a shortage of supply from some giant producers globally such as India and Indonesia, price increases in the world market, increasing costs for freight transportation, lack of modern wharf in Pemba, and hoarding of goods.

“We have directed the Zanzibar State Trade Corporation (ZSTC) to expand its business by importing rice and sugar,” said Mwinyi.

 According to Mwinyi, the decision to task ZSTC to import enough rice and sugar aims to compete with dishonest business people, mainly hoarders in importation, “So that they no longer harass people with uncalled-for inflation.”

In March last year, President Mwinyi issued a stern warning to traders who hoard essential commodities such as sugar, rice, and wheat flour to create an artificial shortage and hike prices, saying they will be penalized under economic sabotage law.

He said that since Zanzibar relies heavily on the importation of foods from Tanzania’s mainland and abroad, some dishonest traders were capitalizing on the situation to hide essential commodities to create artificial shortages to increase prices.

Last year, in an effort to reduce rice imports, the Zanzibar government allocated US$214,000 to boost irrigation infrastructure and modern technology in rice cultivation. 

The allocation targeted increasing production as well as producing quality seeds adopted by the Tanzania Research Institute (TARI) Dakawa center, a key center committed to undertaking rice research for farmers in the country.

Later, Shamata Shaame Khamis, the Zanzibar Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources, and Livestock while addressing the House of Representatives revealed that the state anticipates increasing rice production from 5,400 to 17,332 tons, a threefold increase, following established irrigation schemes in the country. 

He stressed that the government aims at food independence through good uses of available rice valleys.

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