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Business Reporter
NATIONAL Tested Seeds in Kwekwe is failing to cope with demand for day-old chicks amid allegations of corruption at the branch.
Some of the branch’s clients who phoned Business Chronicle yesterday said they had gone for more than three months without securing day-old chicks at the branch despite placing orders.
“I am struggling to get the chicks despite having paid for the orders. When collecting the chicks we are made to queue and produce invoice numbers which staff members purport to use to serve us in chronological order.
“However, this is not the case because one would realise that a person whose invoice number comes much later after his or hers will be called inside to collect the chicks,” said a client who preferred not to be named.
The retail outlet is selling 100 chicks for $90.
“It is those who would have paid an extra $10 or $15 for bribery, who are called inside to collect their orders while those that do not bribe will remain on the receiving end,” said the client.
Another customer said for the past five months he has been struggling to secure an order of 100 chicks.
He said on many occasions he has been told to continue checking for his order because the branch was not able to process the transaction because of high demand.
“I last got the chicks through a fair deal here (National Tested Seed in Kwekwe) sometime in March. In the past, they used to write collection dates on our invoices but that is not being done at present, which also kills the substantive evidence as to when the order was made,” said the client.
The matter has since been brought to the attention of the branch manager Mr Kammy Kala.
“We have also lodged our complaint to the branch manager Mr Kala but he has virtually done nothing about it. This leaves us with a lot of questions because how can a manager ignore such an issue?” said another poultry farmer.
Contacted for comment, Mr Kala refuted the corruption claims saying his branch was not able to cope with the high demand for chicks.
“We are not able to cope with high demand on the market. We have a backlog of orders because the demand is outstripping supply.
“It is also not true that we are corrupt because when we serve them it is done according to their invoice numbers.
“However, because some of our customers are old and look sickly we cannot keep them waiting for long in queues we prioritise serving them first.
“It is those who do not want to wait in queues that are complaining and I know who put this to you,” he said.
He said they were presently receiving between 40 and 50 boxes each with 100 chicks twice a week from their suppliers.
“When one places an order of two boxes today, he will get one next week and another one the following week,” said Mr Kala.
The Zimbabwe Poultry Farmers Association Retired Colonel George Nare said there was plenty of local chicken on the market.
In the past few years, cheap imported chicken flooded the domestic market owing to low production by local producers.
“Because there is now plenty of chicken on the local market it means as an industry we are slowly coping with demand although we are still experiencing shortage of layers’ chicks.
“The shortage of day-old chicks at the moment could be artificial. For example, in Bulawayo there are three major agents of day-old chicks suppliers and as we speak if you go there you are guaranteed of getting your order. However, I would not be privy to what is happening in Kwekwe,” he said.
A snap survey carried out in Bulawayo yesterday showed that day-old chicks retailers were able to cope with demand.
Some of the outlets were selling a box of 100 chicks at between $95 and $100.
Last month, poultry farmers said they were targeting to produce more than 60 million day old chicks this year, up from about 40 million in 2012.
Zimbabwe has a combined hatching capacity of 76 million day-old chicks per annum.
The re-introduction of surtax by Government on chicken and other goods to promote local industry has revived domestic production.
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