Maputo, July 13, 2026 (Lusa) - Rising fuel prices in Mozambique are challenging the viability of small-scale fishing, a source of income for nearly 400,000 people, exacerbating food insecurity and driving up fish prices, according to a study.
According to an analysis published by the Rural Environment Observatory (OMR), a Mozambican non-governmental organisation, the rise in fuel prices in May presents a challenge to small-scale fishing, a sector responsible for around 90% of national fish production, approximately 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the direct livelihoods of nearly 400,000 people.
The study, carried out by economist and researcher Yasser Arafat Dadá, states that on 1 May 2026, “a sudden revision of fuel prices in Mozambique, with diesel rising by 44.5%, petrol by 12.1% and lighting oil by 45.9%, hit Mozambique’s small-scale fisheries hard”.
The analysis follows Mozambique’s fuel-supply challenge in April, marked by long queues and limited availability at petrol stations across the country, which affected various economic sectors.
On 7 May, the government approved the first price update in around a year, justifying the measure on the grounds of supply problems linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
According to the OMR, of the 42,723 vessels registered for small-scale fishing, only 1,986 are motorised, representing less than 5% of the national fleet.
Despite this, these vessels account for the largest catches, supply the markets and are the most exposed to rising fuel costs.
“Fuel typically accounts for the largest share of variable costs, and is estimated to make up between 40% and 60% of the total operating costs of a motorised fishing trip,” it said.
According to the calculations presented, a vessel with a 25-horsepower engine and an average fuel consumption of eight litres per hour now faces daily diesel fuel costs of around 930 meticais (€12.60), compared with 639 meticais (€8.70) before the price revision.
For a fisherman who goes out 20 times a month, the increase could amount to 5,820 meticais a month (€79) The report highlights the “inflationary paradox”: although the price of fresh fish rose by 11.7% in urban markets in May, fishermen are not benefiting from this increase.
“The result is that the consumer price rises more than the producer price,” it points out.
According to the analysis, fish passes through several intermediaries before reaching consumers, including beach buyers, wholesalers, transporters and retailers, who pass on the rising costs of transport and storage to the final price.
“The consumer pays more, the intermediary maintains or increases their margin, whilst the fishermen, who have less bargaining power and need to sell quickly to preserve the perishable product, are the one who benefits least from the rise in market prices,” the OMR added.
The document also highlights possible consequences for fishery resources, notably “the risk of an intensification of fishing effort in the most accessible coastal areas”.
According to the OMR, motorised fishermen may choose to reduce the distances they travel to save fuel, thereby increasing pressure on coastal areas already exploited by communities that fish without motorised vessels.
The study also devotes a chapter to women, whom it considers to be the most exposed and least protected in the small-scale fisheries value chain.
“The 397,688 people identified by the census include 122,731 workers in other activities along the value chain. It is precisely in this group that women are most heavily represented,” it stated.
The study pointed out that women are particularly affected by rising costs in the transport, processing, and marketing of fish, as well as by greater difficulties in accessing formal credit.
“It is a cycle with two simultaneous victims: the fisherman, who does not go out to sea because fuel is too expensive and who, therefore, has no income, and the consumer, who cannot find fish at an affordable price because supply has fallen,” the study concluded.
PVJ/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
