The Council of Ministers approved, this Tuesday, new minimum wages, whose increases range from 3.6% to 7.6%.

The smallest increase goes to the salt miners, with an increase of 3.6%, raising the minimum wage to 5.759 meticais, followed by kapenta fish fishing, 4.3%, raising the lowest wage in the sector to 4.591 meticais, and marine, industrial and semi-industrial fishing, which increases 4.5%, raising the lowest wage to 5.820 meticais.

The quarrying and sanding area also received a hike of 4.5%, raising the lowest wage to 5,830 meticais.

The highest increase was for agriculture, livestock, hunting and forestry, which saw a 7.6% rise in the lowest wage, to a minimum of 5,200 meticais.

The remaining industries received wage increases between 4.78% and 6.94%.

With the new minimum wages announced, the lowest wage in the country is paid in kapenta fishing, which now stands at 4,591, and the highest among the minimums is in financial services, which is set at 14,340 meticais.

The new salaries take effect as of April 1st, says the Council of Ministers' communiqué.

"The percentage values approved by the Council of Ministers, for each activity sector, reflect the consensus reached at the negotiating table of the Labor Consultative Commission, a tripartite body in which the interests of employers, workers, and the Government are represented," the note states.

The government maintains that the new salaries reflect the current economic and social moment that Mozambique is going through, characterized by a low level of production and productivity, the impact of natural disasters and "terrorism" in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.