All measures have been taken to ensure supplies of local products in the Market.

Basic sources of vitamins and proteins such as fish and meat are, as usual, on a high demand ahead of end-of-year festivities. As weeks narrow to days ahead of Christmas and New Year feasts, some increases in prices of fish have been noticed across markets in the economic capital. A kilogramme of Mackerel (oya oya), for example, now sells at FCFA 1,350 up from FCFA 1,100 few weeks ago. Some suppliers attributed the slight hikes to some interruption in the supply chain.

The Regional Delegate of Livestock, Fishery and Animal Industry in Douala, Dr. Iréné Guy Mimbang, has allayed fears of an imminent hike in the prices of some fishery and animal products like table birds, chicken, mutton, pork, beef, cray fish and crabs. Nonetheless, the Youpwe Fish Market, Ndokotti pork slab, the Bonendale slaughter house and meat slaps in markets throughout the city testify to the quantity and quality of fishery and animal products available throughout the festive season. “I want to assure you that there are enough locally produced fishery and animal products on the market. Imported fishery products only come to complement those that are produced locally. Enough of these locally produced products both in quality and quantity are available to cover the entire end of the year period throughout the Littoral Region”, the Delegate said.

He added that production per year is quite high because “we are lucky enough to have an industrial fishing fleet that brings their products here”. Last year, this industrial fishing fleet produced about 14,000 metric tons; considered together with smallscale production, it gives a figure beyond 35,000 metric tons of locally produced fish in 2016. Aquaculture products are gaining a lot of importance nowadays among youths that are rearing fish so that we can have more fishery products on the market throughout the year. However, the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industry is promoting a lot of fish farming through projects. As a result, production through aquaculture is now getting higher.