The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has advised the Government against rushing to ban the importation of goods that cannot be sufficiently supplied locally.
The government last week agreed to suspend the importation of onion and potatoes into the country until further notice following the complaint raised by the Zambia National Farmers Union over the flooding over the local market with the commodities that can be produced locally.
The Zambia Farmers Union (ZNUF) President Jervis Zimba has warned that over K23 million worth of onions in the Country risk going to waste if the government does not address the continued importation of these commodities.
But JCTR Programmes Manager Chama Mundia said the ban on the importation of onion may result in the shortage of the commodity because the local market cannot meet the demand.
“The Ministry of Agriculture suspended the importation of onions and potatoes. This was done in response to a request from the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) who raised concern that the flooding of imported onions and potatoes on the market risked having the country record losses. Specifically, for onion, losses are estimated at over K23 million if the matter remained unaddressed. The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) wishes to highlight that this ban is not a new intervention. The ZNFU in February 2021 again requested the government to ban the importation of onions and potatoes anchored on the premise of promoting consumption of local products and supporting local production of agriculture products. The ban was however lifted in April 2021 in view of the recorded supply deficit as a result of the importation ban,” Mrs Mundia recalled.
She said:”Locally grown onions were, however, unable to meet national demand. JCTR wishes to note that the cost of living for a family of five as measured by the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) for Lusaka in the month of March 2021 thus increased to K8, 644.50 from K8, 512.31 in February 2021, an increase of K132.19. The rise in the basket was mainly attributed to increases in the prices of both food and non-food items. Top on the list was the 100% increase in the price of 4kg onion from K70.75 to K141.41 for 4kg following the onion importation ban. JCTR would like to point out that the continued rise in the cost of living does compound challenges to households’ access to basic needs thus negatively affecting families’ abilities to live dignified lives. Considerable price increases such as was the case for onion, further erodes individual and household incomes.”
Mrs Mundia said there is a need to address the quality, reliability and adequacy of local farmer supplies.
“JCTR notes importation bans serve their good purpose especially when they are aimed at protecting local businesses in order to encourage local production as well as support local farmers. However, JCTR is of the view that such interventions require detailed consideration and that safeguards for all anticipated fall outs are put in place to ensure local demand can still be met. As local farmers demand for importation bans on the basis that foreign imports make their produce go to waste, there is a need for them to demonstrate that they have a capacity to meet local demand for particular commodities,” she said.
Mrs. Mundia further called for the exploration of two pronged measures that will enable the balancing of imports and the need to boost local production using a multisectoral approach.
“In the light of this past experience, JCTR recommends that sustainable solutions be sought that maintain prices of basic essential items within the capacity of many ordinary households. These should include the following: 1. putting in place measures to keep the cost of production low and to t ensure constant supply and availability of basic essential items both in the short run and in the long run,” she stated.
Ms. Mundia concluded:”Enhancing the capacity of Zambian farmers to produce enough onions to meet the growing demand. Zambia has over the years continued being a net importer of commodities that can readily be produced locally. There is however, a need to address the quality, reliability and adequacy of local farmer supplies and also explore and strategise on how they will tap into markets beyond Zambia. 3. Exploring two pronged measures that will enable the balancing of imports and the need to boost local production using a multisectoral approach (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry among others).”