A dispute has erupted between fish vendors in Gulu City and commercial aquaculture company Yalelo Uganda over the company’s alleged shift from wholesale to retail fish sales, with vendors accusing it of undermining their businesses.
The vendors, mainly women, protested on Monday outside Yalelo’s outlet in Gulu City, months after the company opened its branch in the city. The vendors claim Yalelo was licensed by the city authorities to operate as a wholesale fish supplier and had agreed to sell fresh fish to local traders in quantities of at least 10 kilograms.
They, however, allege that the company later started selling directly to consumers in quantities below 10 kilograms, effectively competing with the traders it had agreed to supply. Agness Achora Ojok, the chairperson of female fish vendors at Gulu Main Market, said the alleged change in Yalelo’s mode of operation had reduced their customer base.
Achora said Yalelo initially engaged the local fish vendors after opening its Gulu outlet and agreed to supply them with fresh fish on wholesale terms. “We accepted that they should supply us, but later they changed and started selling fish at retail to customers. We are so heartbroken because we don’t have customers currently,” Achora said.
She appealed to Gulu City authorities to intervene, warning that continued retail sales by Yalelo could threaten the livelihoods of women who depend on fish vending. Gifter Aber, the Laroo-Pece Division Mayor, said the dispute stemmed from what she described as Yalelo’s failure to honour an earlier arrangement involving the city authorities, local fish vendors and the company.
Aber said Yalelo obtained a trading licence from the city council to operate as a wholesale fish supplier, with the company expected to deal in quantities of 10 kilograms and above. She alleged that the company later began selling fish below the agreed quantity, thereby entering the retail market.
“The people at the market are not against Yalelo. Yalelo came to the City Division Council and requested for a wholesale licence and they were indeed given the wholesale licence. They negotiated with the market vendors to supply 10 kilograms of fish and above, but the vendors started noticing the company was into retail,” Aber said.
However, Uganda Radio Network has not independently seen the alleged agreement between the city council, local fish vendors and Yalelo outlining the company’s mode of operation in Gulu City. Aber said the division council is yet to convene a meeting between Yalelo and the affected vendors to resolve the dispute.
She said although Uganda operates a free-market economy, businesses should operate in a manner that allows different players to benefit. Aber also rejected calls by some vendors for the closure of the Yalelo outlet, saying there was no valid basis for the city authorities to stop the company from operating.
The dispute has also attracted criticism from some consumers who say Yalelo’s entry into the Gulu market has improved access to fresh fish at relatively affordable prices. Mirriam Akello Ogen, a resident of Go-down Ward in Bardege-Layibi Division, said she has benefited from Yalelo’s retail outlet since it opened.
“Anytime I want fish, I walk to the stores of Yalelo and find what I want at a reasonable price. What the local fish vendors charge is much higher than what I buy at Yalelo fish shop,” Akello said. Usain Trevor, Yalelo Uganda’s General Customer Service Manager, declined to comment substantively on the dispute, saying the company was handling the matter internally.
“We are working on the matter internally and we will be putting out a final communication on our social media platforms regarding that matter,” Trevor said. Gulu City’s fresh fish market largely depends on supplies transported from major fishing areas, particularly Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga. However, limited access to cold-storage facilities in city markets remains a challenge for local fish traders, while some consumers are increasingly turning to suppliers with better fish preservation facilities.-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
