Eswatini faces low fish production
MBABANE – According to the Ministry of Agriculture, most of the fish for sale in local shops is imported.
In an interview with this publication, the Director of Agriculture, Nelson Mavuso, mentioned that a number of projects have been put in place by the ministry and other partners, to try and grow the industry. In 2022, the Republic of China in Taiwan funded Eswatini with about E52 million for an aquaculture four-year project that would be carried out in two phases.
The budgeted amount for the implementation of the project was E18.1 million while approximately E33.8 million would be for the construction of an aquaculture centre.
Partnership
According to Mavuso, the centre will also have a research facility where emaSwati will be able to gather information about their aquaculture ventures. The project is implemented by the Taiwan Technical Mission in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the implementing agent being the Department of Fisheries. Meanwhile, the second phase of the project will be the construction of the aquaculture resource centre and demonstration ponds to produce various tilapia fish. According to a report by Selina Wamucii, the import price of Tilapia into Eswatini has seen a steady increase in recent years. In 2015, the import price per kilogramme was US$0.75. This increased to US$1 in 2016, US$1.25 in 2017, US$1.50 in 2018 and US$1.75 in 2019. This indicates a steady increase of US$0.25 per year.
Based on this trend, it is predicted that the import price of tilapia into Eswatini will be US$2.5 in 2024. This trend shows that the country will continue to lose money on imports. Selina Wamucii is a research platform that offers indepth price analysis data for the world’s agricultural markets, providing valuable insights for stakeholders and farmers from across Africa.
About the tilapia fish species: Also known as Sikhwalakhwala, tilapia are mainly freshwater fish inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes, and less commonly found living in brackish water. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisanal fishing in Africa, and they are of increasing importance in aquaculture and aquaponics. Tilapia can become a problematic invasive species in new warm-water habitats such as Australia, whether deliberately or accidentally introduced, but generally not in temperate climates due to their inability to survive in cold water.
Traditionally a popular and affordable food in the Philippines with a mild taste, tilapia has been the fourth-most consumed fish in the United States since 2002, favoured for its low cost and easy preparation. It is commonly fried or boiled as part of a dish.