Exporting parrots to be okayed in Tanzania
The Tanzanian government is finalising plans to lift the ban, imposed in 1992, on the export of “Fisher’s Love Birds”, known in Kiswahili as “Kasuku”.
“We are at an advanced stage to lift the ban,” said the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Mr Christopher Chiza.
Apparently the exports are meant to slow down crop damage done by the birds in Singida region.
Responding to a question asked by Mohammed Missanga (Singida South) over the bird’s speed of destroying crops, the deputy minister said that eating the birds as a delicacy was not enough, but exports would help to reduce its population.
He promised to look afresh into the problem and find a more lasting solution.
Mr Chiza informed the House that more details would be incorporated in the Agriculture Sector Development Programme (ASDP).
The government in 2003 and 2004 had attempted to control the birds, which can destroy up to 70 per cent of grain and cereal crops.