Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera, Specialist Writer – Agribusiness
STAKEHOLDERS attending the just-ended inception meeting under the Fish 4 African, Caribbean and Pacific States (Fish4ACP) programme have urged the Government to scrap value-added tax (VAT) on tilapia fish to raise per capita consumption.
This follows revelations that Zimbabwe had the lowest per capita fish consumption of 3,72 kilogrammes, a figure lower than neighbouring countries’ average of around 8,9 kg per capita, according to a study conducted by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA).
Speaking at the Fish4ACP inception meeting, the country’s largest tilapia fish producer, Lake Harvest’s national sales and distribution manager, Mr Shadreck Munaka, said there was a need to remove VAT on tilapia fish to lower prices and stimulate local demand.
“There is a need to remove VAT on tilapia, just like in kapenta, to lower its selling price and stimulate effective demand from both rural and urban consumers.
“The Government can also run promotions such as ‘eat fish once per week’, thereby educating the populace on the health benefits of fish consumption,” he said.
At present, tilapia is sold at prices above US$4 per kilogramme in most places, which is on the steep side.
Mr Munaka noted that prices of fish were high in Zimbabwe compared to Zambia, thereby dampening demand even though fish are a rich source of protein.
“The official producer-wholesaler/distributor-retailer route to market value chain has been distorted as traders have informalised it.
“To influence demand, we are giving cooler boxes to organised vendors to sell quality products,” he added.
Livestock and Meat Advisory Council administrator, Dr Chris Sukume, said there was a need to change the perception that fish was a luxurious food and reclassify it as basic.
“There is also a need to review the way fish is marketed in the country by linking aggregators to the main market.
“Demand for fish is there as long as it’s properly priced,” Dr Sukume noted.
The Fish4ACP aims to complement the Government’s Rural Development 8.0 programme, which comprises a series of outcome-based and impact-oriented Presidential interventions positively impacting the attainment of Vision 2030, with the Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme aiming to provide fish ponds in each of the 35 000 villages at 4 000 fish fingerlings per village.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Department (Fard) director, Mr Milton Makumbe, said the Government was implementing several initiatives to support the growth of the fisheries sector, including the development of fish ponds, commercial cage farming, and the promotion of sustainable fisheries practices.
Mr Makumbe said the capture fisheries sector, particularly the dam stocking programme, would also contribute significantly to efforts to reach the 2026 target of 60 000 tonnes.
“The programme’s focus on sustainable fisheries practices will help ensure that our fishery resources are managed in a responsible and sustainable manner,’ he said.
AMA business development manager, Mr Edgar Mudokwani, revealed that Zimbabwe and Zambia were emerging as large-scale producers leveraging on the commercial cage systems at Lake Kariba.
“In Zimbabwe, Lake Harvest has an integrated aquaculture system for producing, processing and exporting frozen tilapia, with the country producing 30 000 tonnes of fish annually against a requirement of around 60 000 tonnes.
“The deficit is covered by imports from Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia,” he said.
Due to high perishability problems, tilapia is transported under refrigeration, with leading tilapia producers’ trucks offering off-grid cold storage transportation to reach the final destination.
Smallholder producers have the option of value adding the fish under the following processing technologies, solar drying, smoking, manual filleting and ice storage.
“Dried or fresh tilapia fillets, smoked tilapia and chilled whole/frozen tilapia are the value-added products from processing.
“Solar drying is a low-cost technology ideal for rural areas with abundant sunlight and it supports small-scale processors, while smoking is widely adopted, culturally accepted and boosts local market appeal,” added Mr Mudokwani.
Other fish value-addition options include gel extraction from skins, canning, marination and vacuum sealing as well as air drying or low temperature dehydration.
Meanwhile, statistics released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency show that the country imported US$20 910 957 fish products in 2024.
The country imports live fish, herrings, sardines, sardinella, mackerel, hake, cod, tunas and other fresh and dried fish products, among others.
