Local fish exporter plans to build collection centres to up exports

DAR ES SALAAM: A local company, Alpha Tanganyika Flavour Ltd that deals with exporting fish from Lake Tanganyika, plans to set up fish collection centres in three regions of Rukwa, Katavi and Kigoma in a efforts to offer more market to local fishers.

Company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Alpha Nondo, revealed this in Dar es Salaam during an interview with journalists at the sideline of the ongoing Africa Food Systems Forum (AGRF 2023).

Mr Nondo stated that the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries was supporting them in the initiative that is aimed at addressing a challenge of low collection of fish for export.

“This year alone we have got an order to export 30 containers of fish from Lake Tanganyika, so the demand is big but the collection is low, we need to build the centres,” he said recently.

He said the company mainly exports fish to the United States of America, noting that it has reached markets in 20 states of the US, so far.

“We focus on promoting fish from Lake Tanganyika. Some species that are obtained in Lake Tanganyika cannot be obtained from any other lakes,” he said.

He noted that the company was the first to get a license for exporting fish from the lake. “Initially we faced challenges, but after noticing what the consumers needed, we continued to improve and managed to conquer the market,” he said.

Currently, the company has grown its capacity of processing fish after coming up with a machine for drying fish.

“Form 2021 we started having a capacity of drying two tonnes of fish in two hours. So in a day we can dry 10 tonnes of sardines. To us, this is a breakthrough, we thank our minister and President Samia Suluhu Hassan for their efforts to make Tanzania a hub for feeding Africa,” he said.

He was optimistic that the AGRF 2023 will help the company to improve more performance and hence contribute more to the government’s vision of turning the country a food basket for the continent.

Through the forum the company looks forward to learning new technology and improve its operations.