Dar-Es-Salaam: Tanzania Mineral Dealers Association (TAMIDA) said it is working together with ministry of energy and minerals to increase the country’s polishing capabilities as well as to bring the gemstone market back to Tanzania.

The association’s Sammy Mollel said in remarks made at the 5th annual Arusha Gem Fair in Arusha, Tanzania that polishing local gems was important as it created local employment apart from boosting revenue to the national purse.

“We produce the gemstones, we are building the capacity to polish here and we need to create the employment for Tanzanians,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Arusha Gem Fair organizing committee chairperson Peter Pereira said the world was currently going through “huge” financial crisis and this was affecting their business.

Tanzania was the only producer of the rare Tanzanite. It also produces diamonds and several other gemstones.

“But, being a source (of Tanzanite) we will survive,” he said during the opening ceremony of the fair. Meanwhile, Pereira said Africa was still unexplored and always surprises many with new deposits.

“In recent times Africa has produced very good qualities of rubies and unique stones to the world like tanzanite, tsavorite, pariba…so I only see a bright future for all those gemstone dealers connected to us for further opportunities,” he said.

Other African countries represented at the fair were DRC, Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar and Malawi.