Cheap chicken imports hit poultry market

Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE Poultry Association chairman Solomon Zawe says local producers are struggling to find a market for the 7.4 million day-old chicks produced in June this year due to the rampant smuggling of cheap chicken into the country. He told Business Chronicle that local producers were forced to reduce prices to counter the imported chicken.

“In June, we produced about 7.4 million day-old chicks. Selling these chickens is a challenge now because of cheap smuggled chickens. Local producers are now reducing prices and this doesn’t make them sustainable,” Zawe said.

“A day-old chick costs 70c but local producers are forced to reduce to 50c. A kilogramme of chicken goes for $3.20 yet imports cost $2.80. Local producers are forced to change their initial price to match that of imports.”

Zawe applauded the government for increasing import duty on agricultural products including poultry but said more should be done to consolidate it.
“The government put duty on poultry imports but there is a lot of smuggling taking place at our borders which needs to be dealt with. As an organisation we’ve engaged relevant ministries to ensure smuggled imports are stopped,” he said.

Zawe said smuggled chickens had health side effects on Zimbabweans who consume them.
“The illegal chickens that find their way into the country pose great danger to the lives of people. At most they are stacked in sacks and exposed to excessive heat,” he added.

With the increase in beef prices over the last few years due to the decline in beef production, a number of people have taken solace in chicken and pork.