Imports will kill poultry, fish farming

There is a complaint from ordinary Kenyans that is often covered by the media, and if what they are saying is true then someone needs to do something about it.

I am talking about Kenyans who engage in fish farming or fish trade, and the others who grow chicken for the production of eggs.

Both seem to be disturbed about the market being flooded with products from outside the country.

Fish farmers say they are unable to compete with the fish that comes from China because it sells at a much cheaper price from what they would sell theirs.

The egg farmers, on the other hand, complain that the market is awash with eggs from Uganda, which also go for much less than what they can sell theirs if they ever want to recover their production costs.

PRODUCTION COST

All these are ordinary Kenyans trying to make a living in order to take care of their families.

If indeed they are not able to make ends meet due to the competition from outside the country, there is certainly something that needs to be done. Fish and egg farmers are crying out for help.

Both fish and poultry farming seem to have major challenges due to the high cost of production. The imposition of 16 percent value added tax has not helped matters that much.

The eggs from Uganda are apparently more cheaply produced given the low cost of cereals and lower taxes.

One understands that there is free trade in the East African Community, hence the flooding of the Kenyan market with eggs from Uganda.

HOMEGROWN

I wonder what the trade arrangements between Kenya and China are. Whether it is the latter or Uganda, some serious thought has to be put into this matter so that there does not exist any imbalance.

Sometime not so long ago, I read a story about Chinese presence in Zambia and how they are involved in activities that can be done by Zambians themselves.

Right here in Kenya, one hears similar stories. It is my sincere conviction that a government’s biggest duty is to protect the interests of it citizens in their economic activities so that they are not overwhelmed by competition from other quarters.

Of course we all remember the issue about the maize farmers and traders with maize from elsewhere. Our memory is sometimes quite short.

There is heated talk right now about billions of shillings that were meant for dams that had not even been designed.

Soon we shall forget that one as well. Whatever happens, please let our fish farmers and traders as well as poultry farmers not be forgotten for other people’s products.

Fr Wamugunda is the dean of students and sociology lecturer at the University of Nairobi. [email protected]