Fish traders in the new Homa Bay fish market have raised concerns over high cost of transport due to spiraling cost of fuel.
The fish mongers lamented that the high cost of transporting fish from the beaches to the market was wiping off their profit margins.
They said that the difficult working conditions they continued to face was negatively affecting their businesses and reducing their daily income.
Judith Nyakal, a fish trader who has been selling tilapia for the past 13 years, said the fish business has become increasingly difficult despite the high demand for fish in the region.
Nyakal explained that sometimes the market experiences a glut of fish from fish cages in the lake affecting their sales.
She noted that the oversupply led to stiff competition forcing traders to sell at throw away prices in order to attract customers. “Most of us earn little profit after spending long hours at the market,” she added.
She also pointed out that the high cost of fuel had increased the cost of running motorboats used for fishing thus impacting the cost of fish and making it difficult for small-scale traders to sustain their businesses.
Nyakal also lamented that the county government was charging them very high levies despite the tough economic conditions.
She said many traders feel overburdened by the charges, especially during periods of low sales.
The traders said lack of clean water in the new market was another challenge affecting fish traders.
Nyakal revealed that traders use raw water from the lake to clean fish and cook which was unhygienic.
“The taps in the market are always dry, the county government should ensure that there is a reliable water supply within the market to avert a risk of outbreak of diseases,”, she added.
The fish traders urged the relevant authorities to improve market infrastructure, provide clean water and reduce some of the levies charged to small businesses in order to improve their working conditions and support the local economy.
By Regina Joy and Davis Langat
