Ministry refutes claims on irregular importation of eggs

According to a statement issued yesterday by Minister Mashimba Ndaki, Tanzania’s eggs market is good and there were no eggs which have been imported as it is spreaded by some people on social media.

“On June 14 this year, the Ministry saw a message circulating on social media about the influx of eggs into the country from abroad to the extent of causing a drastic drop in egg prices to 4000/- per tray,” Ndaki said.

According to him, after seeing the message, on June 16 this year, the ministry launched an investigation in 26 regions in the country and some districts to ascertain the availability of eggs where it was found that there is no importation of eggs but rather shortage of the product a situation which has led to the rise of its price to 12000/- per tray and not drop of price.

“The information disseminated is not true because the government has banned the importation of poultry and poultry products due to the threat of bird flu in the Globe. The Ministry has been issuing special permits for the importation of chicks and non-fertilized eggs for production. Therefore, these false reports should be ignored,” he said.

The minister further said that the ministry is also working to address shortage of chicks in the country and by September this year, the situation will be stabilized.

On swine fever, Ndaki said the ministry has been making great efforts to control it and that until end of April this year, most regions in the country had no cases of the disease.

He named some of the strategies taken to control the disease as educating pig farmers on the best principles to adhere while engaging in the business.

“On January 23 this year, I informed the public on the outbreak of swine fever in Mwanza, Kagera, Shinyanga and Dodoma regions and instructed Regional Commissioners, district and council directors to oversee the implementation of the control and prevention measures which were set up by veterinary experts, I thank them very much for the way they managed the job,” Ndaki said.

He added: “In June this year in Morogoro Municipality there were cases of 14 pigs that died of Swine fever and laboratory tests verified this."

According to the minister, already significant efforts have been taken to control the disease in  the municipality which included banning pig and pork trade as well as educating pig farmers and other stakeholders on ways to prevent the disease such as avoid entering in the pigs sheds.