Once an accessible source of protein for many Zambian households, fish is now becoming a costly commodity as prices have surged across markets, leaving consumers frustrated and fish vendors struggling to keep up with demand.
According to the Zambian Aquaculture Cooperative Society Limited (ZACOSO), the price of fish in Zambia has surged due to a sharp decline in small-scale aquaculture production, largely driven by spilling effects of the drought and power supply challenges.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT, ZACOSO Chairperson Dr Collins Kachaka explained that many small-scale fish farmers who are the major contributors of fish on the market have abandoned their trade after suffering significant losses. “The major issue here is that several small-scale fish farmers have stopped producing fish. They are no longer in the business because
of the drought,” he said.
Dr Kachaka alluded that the prolonged dry spell led to widespread borehole failures, leaving farmers without a crucial water supply for their fishponds, highlighting that even those who had minimal water reserves faced further setbacks due to erratic electricity supply, which made it impossible to pump water into their ponds. The result was catastrophic mass fish mortalities and extensive financial losses.
Beyond the immediate impact of water scarcity, Dr. Kachaka highlighted another key challenge
with pond liners. “About 80% of small-scale fish farmers in Zambia use pond liners, which are large plastic sheets used to line fishponds. Due to the extreme heat caused by the drought, these liners were damaged beyond repair,” he explained. “With no income to replace the expensive liners, many farmers have been unable to resume production.”
With small-scale farmers struggling, the supply of fish in Zambia has become heavily dependent on large commercial farms, particularly those in Siavonga. This shift has created supply gaps, ultimately driving up prices.
”In Zambia, we primarily stock tilapia, especially Oreochromis niloticus, which is the dominant fish in the market. But now, all tilapia species are in short supply,” Dr. Kachaka noted.
However, with the scarcity, high fish prices are expected to persist for some time as small-scale
farmers remain without support to recover from their losses.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kachaka made an urgent appeal for financial empowerment to revive small scale fish farming. “Small fish farmers contribute about 70% of Zambia’s fish supply and are major employers in aquaculture. If they have incurred such heavy losses, they must be empowered,” he urged.
He called on the government and financial institutions to provide targeted grants and loans to
struggling farmers, stressing that such support would help revitalize the industry, restore jobs, and
combat poverty.” This situation will take time before it is corrected,” he warned. “Without intervention, the fish shortage will continue, and prices will remain high,” he added
