THE Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has raised the red flag over the increased importation of foreign agricultural produce which has adversely affected the local market.
ZNFU President Jarvis Zimba said in an interview that the union was not happy with the influx of externally-produced vegetables into the country.
Mr Zimba said some chain store supermarkets despite having been urged by Government to stock locally-produced agricultural products were still importing.
He said the trend had now extended to tomato and onions and posing a danger which was harming the growth of the local sector.
“We are very disappointed that Government has continued to issue permits to some chain-store supermarkets to import vegetables from South Africa which are also locally grown.
This trend is disadvantaging local farmers to grow their businesses,” he said.
Mr Zimba said some farmers were still having difficulties having their products stocked in chain-stores.
He expressed concern that that local producers had difficulty to sell their produce because they were denied access to chain-store supermarkets.
Mr Zimba said that tomato growers were currently recording losses because Tanzanians had continued bringing the same produce at cheaper prices.
He said that local tomato growers were spending a lot of money and resources to grow the crop due to the increase in the prices of the chemicals for tomato pests.
Mr Zimba has urged Government to limit the issuance of permits for products that were locally produced.
He said that farmers in the country were committed to contribute to the growth of the sector hence the need for them to compete favourably on the local market.
Is he one of the people who robbed the farmers in broad daylight and today he pretends to speak for them? Maybe if we have more imported goods then there’s no money for him to steal.
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I thought ZNFU is closed? Did they pay back money to donors?
MOST USELESS UNION IN ZAMBIA. ZNFU!!!! NOW THEY OPEN THEIR LITTLE YAPS. MEANWHILE WHEN GOVERNMENT CANT MAKE INPUTS AVAILABLE OR WHEN FARMERS GO FOR MONTHS WITHOUT BEING PAID THEY SIT QUIETLY WITH THEIR LITTLE TAILS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS. THESE GUYS SHOULD BE WORKING TO OPEN UP BIGGER MARKETS FOR ZAMBIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. ZAMBIA PRODUCES SOME OF THE BEST FRUITS (MANGOS) AND HONEY IN THE WORLD. THESE GUYS SHOULD BE MARKETING OUR PRODUCE ESPECIALLY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND MIDDLE EAST. INSTEAD VILLY QUIET.
Spot on ZNFU. Continue to engage relevant authorities over such issues . As farmers we support this course. Do not relent continue punching and pushing one day we will be there . Word of caution ZNFU leadership be proactive and not only reactive.