ZANZIBAR, Tanzania – Zanzibar’s historic clove industry is facing its most severe challenge in recent years, with exports plunging by 76% during the first nine months of 2025 as global oversupply and climate disruptions create a perfect storm for the island’s farmers.
Official data reveals clove exports plummeted to $6.3 million from January to September 2025, compared to $26.3 million during the same period last year, dealing a heavy blow to an industry that has long been a cornerstone of Zanzibar’s economy.
Multiple Factors Converge
The dramatic decline stems from a convergence of global market forces and local environmental challenges. The Zanzibar State Trade Corporation (ZSTC), the island’s sole clove exporter, attributes the crisis primarily to global oversupply and falling international prices.
“Several countries have expanded clove production, creating increased competition and driving down prices in the international market,” explained a ZSTC representative. “When combined with our own production challenges, the effect on exports has been severe.”
Climate change has emerged as a critical factor disrupting traditional farming cycles. Farmers report increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns and shifting flowering seasons, leading to inconsistent yields that make reliable production planning nearly impossible.
Broader Export Sector Impact
The clove collapse has dragged down Zanzibar’s overall export performance, with total goods exports falling 35.5% to $35.43 million. The seaweed sector also suffered, declining 39.7% to $3.1 million, though from a much smaller base.
The situation marks a recurrence of challenges that previously affected Zanzibar’s clove industry in 2022, when export earnings similarly declined due to the crop’s cyclical nature and weather-related disruptions.
Adaptation and Silver Linings
In response to these challenges, the ZSTC has implemented a digital management system for farmer registration, payments, and delivery records. The platform aims to modernize the trade, improve transparency, and strengthen traceability throughout the clove value chain.
Amid the agricultural sector’s struggles, Zanzibar’s tourism industry has provided a counterbalancing positive trend. Tourist arrivals rose by 28.2% to 885,385 visitors in the year ending September 2025, helping to cushion the overall economic impact of the export declines.
The clove industry’s difficulties occur against the backdrop of mainland Tanzania’s strong economic performance, with the International Monetary Fund projecting the country’s GDP growth at 6.0% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026, supported by fiscal discipline and declining debt levels.
