The Zambian Fruit and Vegetable Traders Association has disclosed that government has lifted the ban on the importation of table potatoes and has allowed the importation quota of 2,000 metric tonnes.
Association President Bernard Sikunyongana said information on the shortage and sharp increase in prices of potatoes after the ban on the importation reached the government who have now decided to lift the ban.
Sikunyongana said government has seen the effect that the ban has had on the availability of the commodity and the price which has led to it’s decision adding that if the situation does not improve, the association will ask government to allow more imports.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Sikunyongana said the importation has began and he is thankful to government for allowing the imports as this will stabilise the availability and price of the commodity.
He also noted that Buya Bamba; one of the major producers of potatoes in the country has disclosed that it is unable to meet the demand.
He emphasized that the ban is a control measure meant to support and protect the produce of the local farmers so they can also have a market because people think imported products are better than local products.
He however said that when local farmers do not have the product, imports are allowed as the small quantities, which are available end up being very expensive and consumers suffer.
“It’s a must when a product is in short supply; we just have to open imports”, he said.
In February this year, government banned the importation of onion and table potatoes in order to prioritize and promote consumption of locally produced fruits and vegetables adding that the country was able to meet the demand for the two commodities.
This ban saw a shortage and sharp increase in the prices of the two commodities, which later led to government lifting the ban initially on the importation of onion, and now eventually on Potatoes.
A check on the market has indeed shown that local producers need to increase their volumes as the price for onions reduced shortly after the ban was lifted. It is also expected that table potato prices will also fall as the current high prices were largely driven by low supply.
