TANZANIA – ZAFICO, an organization established in Zanzibar to help the fisheries sector, is moving ahead with plans to build the fish processing plant in Unguja island after terminating the agreement with Hairu Group of companies (HGC), a firm from Sri Lanka with which they had partnered.
As part of the project, the facility is anticipated to include a fresh and frozen fish processing factory, a fish canning factory, a dry fish factory, an anchovies processing factory, a fish oil and fish meal plant, a technical training centre and other supporting facilities.

A fish storage cold room and ice production facility are also part of the project together with vegetable, medicine and other substances storage facilities.

The government of Zanzibar is hell-bent on implementing this project as it serves as a value addition to its fisheries sector.

The president of the Zanzibar archipelago, Mr Hussein Ali Mwinyi instructed that the fish processing plant be built regardless of the termination which was due to HGC’s inability to sufficiently fund the project.

He said, “It is unfortunate that the Hairu Company had no funds for the project. We have decided to terminate the agreement and directed ZAFICO to begin implementing it alone as we look for another potential investor,”

The president also informed journalists that ZAFICO has begun the building operations and that the project should be expected to be completed soon.

Along with creating at least 450 direct jobs, this new fish processing facility will help promote fishing in the unexplored deep sea.

The project is among the highlights of the 2020/2025 election manifesto of the political party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), of which President Hussein Mwinyi is a member.

The president is determined to find ways of developing the isle’s blue economy in a bid to achieve a strong economy for the country in the future, as communicated by the minister of blue economy and fisheries in the signing ceremony at the ministry.

ZAFICO is operating under the ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries alongside its minister, Suleiman Masoud Makame who urges the fishers and other respective institutions to support the project to help achieve its goal.

Initially, it was planned that the project would include the establishment of a boat building facility with the ability to manufacture size 6 to 30 meters fiberglass and steel boats to serve functions such as fisheries, transport, research and many others.

Six people from Zanzibar were to be trained in Sri Lanka and the rest of the workforce trained locally to develop the technical and professional skills needed for boat building and maintenance.

The boat building and maintenance services were to be a major component of the project which would in turn help strengthen the country’s Blue Economy sector as well as serve the maritime affairs, tourism, maritime transport and research sectors.

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