A fried tilapia fish.[Photo/wensdelight.blogspot.com]

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The Kenyan fishermen are under high pressure following the flooding of the cheap Chinese fish into the markets in Mombasa county.

According to fishmongers, the tilapia fish from China is very sweet and cheap~selling at a third the price of the same local varieties from Kisumu. 

George Ngoge, a fishmonger, told Business daily that the price of ' una'( a tilapia fish from China) is cheap hence most people can afford.

Mr Ngoge added that Una goes for between Sh160 to Sh300 per kilo depending on the size as compared to the same variety of fish from Kisumu which goes at Ksh 500 per kilo.

“Our customers love Una Tilapia because it is cheaper and also very sweet. The Tilapia from Kisumu is very expensive,” said George. 

Chinese fish which is packaged and frozen was first imported to Kenyan market by Zhangzou Longyi Food Company Limited that is an agent of the East African Sea Food Limited in Kenya. 

The data from the Kenyan national bureau of statistics (KNBS) had showed that the chinese fish exported to Kenya in 2015 alone hit Ksh 1 billion indicating the flooding of the Asian sea foods into the country.

Fish sellers in Mombasa have however blamed the current political  situation in the country to have attributed to the low sales they are currently experiencing. 

Sammy Mwaluma a fish seller said that there is low customer turn up and thus low daily daily income as compared to other months. 

“Before elections the business was flourishing. I could clear my stock within two days, but now it lasts even for four days. For example, a customer who used to take 15 kilogrammes of fish now takes 10,” said Mwaluma. 

Kenya has been experiencing high political temperatures since the nullification of the August 8th presidential election by Supreme Court.