Tanzania bans importation of day-old chicks

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Tanzania bans importation of day-old chicks

The government of Tanzania has imposed a ban on importation of day-old chicks. Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Abdallah Ulega said the government would no longer issue import permits on chicken from Saturday July 30.

The move which is the second time being imposed, seeks to protect its local hatcheries and limit the inflow of substandard chicks. The government, Mr Ulega said, is currently collecting poultry industry data to ascertain the demand for day-old chicks.

Rise in smuggled chicks

Local poultry producers, Organia and Mkuza Chicks, had decried the rise in smuggled chicks sold at lower prices. Most incubators in the country are selling day-old chicks at an average price of Tsh2,000 ($0.85), while the smuggled chicks sell at Tsh1,200 ($0.5) per chick.

In 2016, Tanzania banned the importation of chicks and fresh poultry meat from Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa and the US to protect local farmers. On October 31, 2017, government authorities in Arusha destroyed 6,400 chicks imported from Kenya through the Namanga border crossing. The ban was later lifted.

Most of the day-old chicks are imported from the United Kingdom and South Africa, with substantial quantities imported from Kenya and Zambia