"This price increase is in response to the escalation in the horse mackerel harvesting cost, which increased by more than 50% from the 2022 harvesting season," NFCPT spokesperson De Wet Siluka said.

The government-owned agency, tasked with promoting fish consumption throughout the country as well as to improve the accessibility and affordability of fish, maintains the upward price adjustment is backed by thorough consultations and price benchmarking with the prevailing prices in the market to ensure its products are reasonably priced.

“On average, horse mackerel 16+ market value is N$34.79 per kilogram compared to the N$26.11 new adjusted price. This is the first price increase on frozen horse mackerel products since 2018, and it is only applicable to frozen horse mackerel products,” he said.

The move, however, comes less than three months after Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Derek Klazen tasked the government-owned agency to investigate ways to lower fish prices, amid concerns many Namibians still find it difficult to afford fish according to Khomas Regional Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua.

"I would like to indicate that my people raised concerns that fish is unaffordable, and something needs to be done so that every Namibian must be able to eat fish and benefit from the country's natural resources," McLeod-Katjirua then said.

According to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s figures for December, fish recorded an annual inflation of 9.1%.