Contribution Of The Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (Zstc) To Clove Production In Zanzibar

ABSTRACT

The study focused on the clove production in Zanzibar. The main objective of the study was to assess the role of the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC) in clove production. The specific objectives were to examine the quality of services provided by the Zanzibar States Trading Corporation (ZSTC), to identify challenges facing clove farmers, to examine (ZSTC) assistance to clove growers/farmers in the effort of increasing clove production, to identify reasons for (ZSTC) to remain monopoly for exporting cloves in this era of free trade, to identify measures that (ZSTC) has taken to improve clove production in Zanzibar. Primary and secondary data were collected using quantitative and qualitative methodology. SPSS and Microsoft excel were used in data analysis and presentation. A total number of 60 respondents were involved in the study. The methods used in data collection were interview, and survey. The study revealed that there is a problem in clove industry in Zanzibar in terms of production, services and marketing.

The study findings show that, there is the decline of clove production in Zanzibar due to the poor services provided by (ZSTC), shortage of land among farmers, poor government support, bad climatic condition, low price paid by the state and lack of capital to farmers to accommodate their farms.

The study therefore recommends that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has to overview the clove production in Zanzibar in terms of production and marketing. Knowledge and information or application of new farming methods in clove plantation should be provided freely to farmers, good relations between government, ZSTC and farmers, provision of loans to farmers are among other measures that can be used to develop clove production in Zanzibar.