Fish traders in Zimbabwe have appealed to the government to protect the local industry from cheap and poor quality imports from Cahora Bassa in Mozambique, which they say are hurting the local fish market.
Foreign fish exporters have flooded the market with cheap and low-quality imports threatening the viability of local producers and traders. James Brown, the managing director of Grills Foods, a Bulawayo-based kapenta dealer, said the government should discourage kapenta imports by charging prohibitive duty on imported fish products.
“There is need for the government to revise upwards duty tariffs for all imported products including kapenta which threatens the viability of local products. Cheap kapenta fish imports have affected business especially in places like Harare and Mutare,” said Brown in an interview with NewZimbabwe.Com.
Brown said most of the time his company buys the kapenta from Binga dealers but in times of scarcity, they have been forced to buy the imported Cahora Bassa kapenta.