CHICKEN PRODUCERS UP IN ARMS OVER IMPORTS

Dar es Salaam. Local players in the poultry industry have cautioned the ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development against attempts to grant chicken import permits against the law.

In a joint statement, they told the PS in the ministry that they were alarmed by a letter by an aide to the minister for Livestock, Dr Titus Kamani, suggesting that a permit could be granted to a Zanzibar-based company to import 2,000 tonnes of chicken to the Mainland.    

The said letter by Mr B.S Mwakipesile was addressed to Best Imports Limited, a subsidiary of Zanchick, and was in response to the firm’s appeal for a permit. The letter was dated November 12, 2014.

Local poultry keepers are protesting that the Zanzibar Company is citing the letter as official permission to import chicken, which they argue is illegal and not in accordance to a recent ban by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda.

During a meeting held last week under the Tanzania Commercial Poultry Association (TCPA), the farmers said only the director of Veterinary Services could issue such an import permit. 

The protesting firms include Tanzania Animal Feeds Manufacturers Association, Tanzania Poultry Breeders Association, Veterinary Association of Tanzania and Ufugaji wa Kuku Dar es Salaam.

They said allowing imports would be against the law and the government policy to encourage local investments, job creation as well as put to risk the industry due to bird flu which has been reported in overseas market.

However, when contacted by The Citizen, Dr Kamani and the PS, Dr Yohana Budeba, denied such an import permit had been issued. The director of Veterinary Services Dr Abdul Hayghaimo also said no official permit had been issued to Best Imports or Zanchick.    

Dr Kamani who was accompanying Mr Pinda on a tour of the UAE said the reported letter by his private secretary was an initial procedure. “There are several other authorities involved before a decision to issue a permit is granted. All I know is that no such permit exists,” said the minister.

In a quick rejoinder, Zanchick’s chief operations manager Christopher Kontonasios told The Citizen the protesting companies were jumping the gun over the ministry’s letter. “We wrote an appeal to the ministry but we are yet to get the permit,” he said.

He said, however, that the commercial growers were jittery over competition.  

 “We need to emphasise that commercial growers are blocking this as much as they can, because they don’t want competition and they want small keepers to be dependent on them,” he said when reached by phone.

CREDIT SOURCE: THE CITIZEN