Fish sellers feel pinch of rising cooking gas prices

Dar es Salaam. Traders selling fried fish at the Ferry Market in Dar es Salaam are contemplating going back to using charcoal as their main energy source, saying rising prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were eating into their profits.

All major LPG distributors have raised prices for the product, with a 6-kilogramme cylinder now retailing at between Sh20,000 and Sh22,000 from between Sh18,000 and Sh20,000.

The 15-kilogramme cylinder now sells at between Sh50,000 and Sh54,000, up from Sh46,000-Sh50,000. The 30-kilogramme cylinder currently sells at Sh90,000, up from Sh70,000-Sh75,000.

“During the days when we used firewood and wood charcoal in fish-smoking, we could go home with between Sh50,000 and Sh100,000 per day as profit. But it’s a totally different situation today, due to escalating LPG prices,” said Mr Said Mpinji. He called on the government’s help so they can continue playing their role in the country’s environmental protection efforts.

“If the government doesn’t intervene, the only option is to go back to the traditional energy that used to benefit us in this small business,” he said.

Ms Monica Thomas shared similar sentiments.

“At the moment, I only get Sh20,000 as profit on a good day. This is not what I used to get years back. For instance, in 2017, I regularly made a profit of up to Sh150,000 a day using charcoal”.

The minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Mr Mussa Zungu, visited the market at the weekend where he asked LPG distributors to seriously consider reducing prices.

He said through initiatives by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), prices would soon fall.

Mr Zungu was last week quoted as saying the use of smart meters – which were being advanced by Circle Gas – would see to a Tanzanian household cooking a meal for five people using gas at a cost as low as Sh600 only.

Mr Zungu said the project - operated by Kopagas -was particularly important for low-income citizens and will significantly reduce the use of firewood and charcoal in Dar es Salaam.

Kopagas co-founder Andron Mendes said if you joined the service you can buy gas for up to Sh1000 and that you will not need huge amount to fill the cylinder when it is over.