Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s fish exports surged by 40 percent in the past year, driven primarily by Nile perch fillets.
Data from the ministry of Livestock and Fisheries reveals a jump from 29,467 metric tonnes to 41,271 metric tonnes of fish and fish products exported between April 2023 and April 2024.
This increase translates to a rise in export value from $198.2 million to $206.6 million, with government tax revenue also climbing 15 per cent to Sh14.45 billion.
Nile perch fillets remain the top export, despite a slight volume decrease (from 9,191 metric tonnes to 8,917 metric tonnes). It still generated the most income at $53 million.
The minister for Livestock and Fisheries presented the budget, Mr Abdallah Ulega, who requested the endorsement of Sh460.3 billion for the 2024/25 fiscal year on Tuesday.
According to the document, the increase in exports led to a surge in the value of exports from $198.21 million (about Sh515.35 billion) to $206.60 million (equivalent to Sh537.16 billion).
Furthermore, the data shows that generated revenue enabled the government to increase tax collection from Sh12.56 billion to Sh14.45 billion, about 15 percent up.
Despite the decline in the volume of exported Nile perch fillets from 9,191.14 metric tonnes ($61.58 million) in April last year to 8,917.53 metric tonnes ($53.015 million) this year, the product remains higher in terms of volume and generated income. Other types of fish products that trailed Nile perch fillets as per the April 2024 data, with their respective volumes and values in brackets, are dried fish maws (462.7 tonnes—$44.13 million), dried silver fish from Lake Tanganyika (308.95 tonnes—$10,43 million), dried silverfish from Lake Victoria (7,837.8 tonnes—$8.03 million), and frozen octopus (1,059.2 tonnes—$7.88 million).
However, products that trailed Nile perch fillets in the export of fish and its products recorded last year were frozen octopus (1,321.32 metric tonnes), frozen H&G (901.26 metric tonnes), and sea shells and cowries (615.5 metric tonnes). The director of Fisheries, Prof Mohamed Sheikh, attributed the increase to government initiatives, including introducing and implementing internal and external systems.
“For instance, the issuance of permits and licenses is now done electronically, therefore reducing shortcomings that lead to loss of revenue,” he said over the phone. “We have also intensified the war against illegal fishing and smuggling of fish and its products to increase industrial raw materials, something that would lead to a surge in the volume of exports,” added Prof Sheikh.
He said strengthened internal systems led to an increase in revenue collection to 64 percent of ministry targets as compared to 49 percent that was recorded during a similar period last year.
Prof Sheikh unveiled the major importers of silverfish from Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zambia, and the US.
Furthermore, he disclosed that most of the 21 fish processing factories operating in the country were facing the challenge of inadequate supply of raw materials, principally due to high domestic consumption of some species, including the Nile Perch.
“Ongoing strategies aim at increasing production of Nile perch and protecting breeding habitats to increase the population in a particular lake. Other efforts include intensifying the war against illegal fishing, which is anticipated to increase the volume of raw materials for our factories, hence more exports,” he said.
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Tanzania Confirms Outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease
Dodoma — Tanzania today confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for the virus following investigations and laboratory analysis of suspected cases of the disease.
President of the Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, made the announcement during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in the country’s administrative capital Dodoma.
“Laboratory tests conducted in Kabaile Mobile Laboratory in Kagera and later confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one patient as being infected with the Marburg virus. Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” the president said. “We have demonstrated in the past our ability to contain a similar outbreak and are determined to do the same this time around.”
A total of 25 suspected cases have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have tested negative and are currently under close follow-up, the president said. The cases have been reported in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.
“We have resolved to reassure the general public in Tanzania and the international community as a whole of our collective determination to address the global health challenges, including the Marburg virus disease,” said H.E President Hassan.
WHO is supporting Tanzanian health authorities to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
“WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania,” said Dr Tedros. “Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease.”
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population,”
Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 – the country’s first – in Kagera region, in which a total of nine cases (eight confirmed and one probable) and six deaths were reported, with a case fatality ratio of 67%.
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In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. Although several promising candidate medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials, there is no licensed treatment or vaccine for effective management or prevention of Marburg virus disease. However, early access to treatment and supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.
Source: allafrica.com
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