Zanzibar Clove Industry
Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, has long been synonymous with cloves. Known historically as the “Spice Islands,” Zanzibar’s association with cloves dates back to the early 19th century, when the crop transformed its economy and placed it at the heart of the global spice trade.
Introduction of Cloves to Zanzibar
Clove trees were introduced to Zanzibar by the Omani Sultan Seyyid Said in the early 1800s, who saw the island’s fertile soil and humid climate as ideal for spice cultivation. Originally native to the Maluku Islands (the “Spice Islands” of Indonesia), cloves thrived in Zanzibar’s conditions. By the mid-19th century, Zanzibar had become the world’s leading producer and exporter of cloves.
Colonial Influence and Global Trade
Under Omani rule and later during the British protectorate period, the clove trade in Zanzibar expanded rapidly. Arab and Swahili plantation owners, using enslaved labor, cultivated vast clove plantations, especially on Unguja Island. The spice soon became Zanzibar’s main export commodity, and the port of Stone Town became a bustling trade hub for European, Indian, Arab, and African merchants.
By the late 1800s and early 1900s, cloves from Zanzibar were highly sought-after in Europe, the Middle East, and India — prized not only as a spice, but for their use in medicine, perfumes, and even cigarettes.
Economic Significance and State Control
After independence and the 1964 revolution, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar nationalized clove plantations and established the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC) to control the export of cloves. This was aimed at ensuring better returns for the farmers and controlling fluctuations in the world market.
Despite fluctuations in global demand and challenges from new producers like Indonesia and Madagascar, Zanzibar remains one of the world’s most renowned sources of high-quality cloves. At its peak, Zanzibar supplied over 80% of the world’s clove demand.
Market Dynamics
In recent decades Zanzibar’s dominance in the clove trade has faced challenges such as declining productivity from aging trees, competition from other clove-producing countries like Indonesia and Madagascar, reduced investment in plantation maintenance and replanting and global price volatility. Despite these issues, Zanzibar’s cloves remain renowned for their high oil content and aromatic quality, maintaining a premium position in certain markets.
To combat these issues, the government has launched initiatives to rejuvenate the industry, such as replanting programs, improving farmer training, and offering better prices through the ZSTC.
Prices
Zanzibar’s clove prices have experienced significant fluctuations over the years, influenced by global market dynamics, production levels, and competition from other producing countries.
In 1980s, clove prices reached approximately $9,000 per tonne, marking one of the highest points in Zanzibar’s clove trading history. Prices peaked at around $11,292.70 per tonne in August 2013 reflecting strong global demand.
The average export price for Tanzanian cloves hit a record high of $10,955 per tonne in 2018. In June 2022 clove prices reached $10,963.30 per tonne before declining to $8,184.20 per tonne by September.
Notable Price Declines experienced in 1990s where prices dropped sharply to about $600 per tonne, significantly impacting Zanzibar’s economy. The average export price decreased to $5,357 per tonne in 2023, a 30.6%, decline from the previous year.
International clove prices are generally quoted in USD per metric ton (USD/MT). For example:A historical high might be $11,000/tonne and a low point might be $600/tonne.
Cultural and Economic Identity
Even today, cloves are more than just an economic asset in Zanzibar — they are a symbol of the island’s cultural identity and heritage. The scent of drying cloves still fills the air in many rural communities during harvest season, and the crop continues to be a critical source of income for thousands of smallholder farmers.
Zanzibar’s cloves, known for their high oil content and aromatic quality, still hold a premium position in the global market, especially among discerning buyers and in niche markets emphasizing organic and fair-trade products.
