Tanzania's Morogoro Region moves to introduce cultivation of cloves

MOROGORO, Tanzania, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Morogoro Region in eastern Tanzania is getting ready for massive cultivation of cloves and other spices, authorities said on Sunday.

Mussa Ali Mussa, Morogoro regional administrative secretary, said 400,000 clove seedlings have already been grown and will be distributed to farmers free of charge.

Mussa told officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, who discussed the introduction of clove cultivation in Morogoro Region at a meeting, that most of the cloves will be grown along the Uluguru Mountains, a collection of peaks located in eastern Tanzania.

"The cultivation of cloves and other spices along the Uluguru Mountains will help restore the degraded vegetation of the mountains," said Mussa.

Beatrice Banzi, Morogoro Region's acting director for crop production, said studies carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture showed that the region is suitable for clove production, adding that the ministry will also provide 235,000 clove seedlings for distribution to farmers.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, Zanzibar is known all over the world for the production of high-quality organic cloves, and the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation is responsible for exporting the majority of the cloves.