Fish import shortage in the offing – Bulk fish Importers Assoc warns

The Bulk Fish Importers Association of Ghana has expressed worry over a possible shortage of fish in the country if government fails to address the challenges confronting those engaged in the importation of fish into the country.

Emphasising Ghana’s fish production deficit, the association says the challenges being faced by its members have the capacity to affect fish importation and production in the country.

In a statement issued by the association, cosigned by the Secretary of the Bulk Fish Importers Association of Ghana, Alfred Fugayire Keluru and the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG), Samson Asaki Awingobit, the fish importers enumerated the various challenges confronting their business including: “The astronomical increment of the Fish Import Levy from GHS15.00 to USD17.25 (GHS 251) per metric ton, since January 2023.”

The statement said it is very alarming for such a whopping 1,573 percent increment when businesses across the world are struggling to even adapt to the global economic crises.”

“Neither the views of the Association, it members nor industry players were engaged during the increment process,” it added.

It also touched on the “sudden change of the fish levy from cedi to dollars.”

“The recent removal of the 30 per cent benchmark value has also affected our import business, whereas the recent 2.5 percent VAT increment has become an albatross on our operations,” the association bemoaned.

The association further bemoaned the “introduction of the recently approved 3 tax bills by parliament which has since received a Presidential accent.”

In its opinion, “government must reverse the new tax bills which could have an adverse effect on the already struggling sector among other challenges."

The association noted that: “With the general knowledge that fish prices have increased internationally in costs and charges, making fish import expensive, the ordinary Ghanaian would find it difficult to meet their protein requirement over a possible fish shortage in the country if government fails to put in place measures to address the situation.”

It also stressed that: “Members of the association who are in sole positions to continue with the importation of fish, will also not think twice in passing the cost they incur onto the consumer, which could spark a price hikes in fish products across the country.”

The association, therefore, indicated its willingness to meet government in order to find solutions to what it described as “teething challenges such as the astronomical increase in the fish import levy which has the potential of affecting the fish industry.”