AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government is planning to introduce safety and standard mark for seaweed and sardines as a move to expand its market share and reliability within and outside the country.
That was said by the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Rashid Tamatamah, while opening a stakeholders meeting on the matter in Dar es Salaam on Monday.
Dr Tamatamah said the initiative will help to strengthen and expand the market base for seaweed and sardine products within and outside the country.
“The move has been driven by the fact that the sea products have for many years failed to compete in the international market for not having the standard mark leading to unreliable market. It is important that the standard mark is introduced for traders involved benefit from the widespread market internally and internationally,” said Dr Tamatamah.
The PS noted that up to 3000 people in the Coastal regions are engaged in sardine fishing and seaweed farming placed two as crucial activities in boosting the economy of the country.
He went on to reveal that in the year 2019/20 up to 1449 tonnes of seaweed was cultivated among which 10 per cent has been used domestically and 90 per cent exported in countries including China, USA, UK, Denmark and France.
According to him, the 10 per cent was in the production of various products including soaps, hinting that Zanzibar alone produces about 35,000 tonnes making it the second export product in the country.
The PS observed that the ministry in collaboration with the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) have managed to prepare two standard marks TBS/AFDC 23 for sardine flour and TBS/AFDC (5714) for dry seaweed.
A seaweed farmer, Machao Jingalao from Bagamoyo acknowledged the government move which aims to help realize the country’s industrialization drive.
Jingalao requested the government to further strengthen sardine and seaweed farming, noting that proper supervision will boost revenue and uplift the economy of the country and its people
