📍Mtwara: Mtwara Region has continued to emerge as an important investment hub in the salt sector due to the presence of suitable beaches for production, improvements in the business environment and an increase in production reaching approximately 90 tons per four acres in some production areas.
As a result, salt miners and producers have begun to benefit from new economic opportunities through increased production, employment and expansion of production areas.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, the Mtwara Regional Resident Mining Officer, Mrs. Winnifrida Mrema, said the salt sector in the region continues to grow rapidly due to the improvement of production activities as well as the use of modern technologies in salt processing.
She said the improvements aim to increase the quality of salt for domestic, industrial and livestock use, while stimulating employment for residents of areas surrounding the salt fields.
“Mtwara has a friendly environment for salt production and the Government continues to encourage investment in this sector to increase income for the citizens and the nation as a whole”, said Mrs. Mrema.
In Mnete Village, Nalingu Ward, Mtwara Rural Council, the manager of the salt farms, Mr. Salum Amani, said the farms are owned by Zamda Khatibu and have two licenses for salt harvesting along with 24 salt pans used for production.
He said they are currently continuing with the activities of cleaning the pans after the rainy season to allow salt water to enter ready for new production.
According to Salum, salt production depends on the weather, where the hot sun allows the salt to dry within 30 days, while cold weather makes the process take up to 40 days.
“Usually four jars produce about 90 tons of salt in one season, while these activities provide employment for nine workers in this area”, he said
The Chairman of the Mtwara Regional Salt Producers Association and Chairman of the Salt Committee through FEMATA, Mr. Khalfan Nassoro, said the reduction in the cost of salt license fees from 45,000 Shillings to 20,000 Shillings has increased the ability of producers to expand production areas.
He said the move has increased hope for investors and small-scale miners, while emphasizing that a better investment environment will make Mtwara a major hub for salt production in the country.
Mr. Nassoro also said the growth of the sector could stimulate the construction of salt value-added factories and thus increase the sector’s contribution to the national economy.
