Catfish farmers in dire strait as more farms shutdown

FOR catfish farmers, it’s no longer business as usual, as the business, which was once a toast of many farmers has been abandoned by many due to lack of patronage, high cost of feeds and many challenges bedeviling it.

Until the last few months, the catfish business had enjoyed good patronage all- year- round as it is always in high demand by restaurants, traders and for consumption in homes, among diverse uses. The ready- made market, coupled with the high profit margin from its sales, had attracted many entrants who see it as a very lucrative business, but the current inflation rate, which negatively affected the price of feeds, inputs and other materials for rearing the fishes, has forced many out of the business. The Guardian learnt that majority of the fish farmers who are still in business are practically running at a loss because of low patronage caused by the economic hardship in the country, coupled with the high cost of the fish, which has gone beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.

It was learnt that based on the high cost of feeds, farmers are finding it difficult to buy adequate feeds for the proper growth and management of fingerlings. Even, the locally sourced feed materials are not left out as the price has also surged in the market.

The Chief Executive Officer of Chi Farms Aquaculture, Oshodi, Nwosu Ugonna Henry, lamented that the raw materials needed for the smooth running of the farms are no more affordable, as the current economic hardship has negatively impacted the catfish business.

“The raw materials that we easily purchase are now expensive. Maize that we usually buy for N350,000 to N400,000 per tonne, is now between N800,000 to N900,000. The cost of feed, cost of fuel, transportation, everything has gone up. The cost of production is just more than twice of what it used to be. That invariably will affect the price of the commodity in the market.

“These challenges have affected demand, as people do not even have the money to purchase. Usually we sell and supply over 50 to 80 metric tonnes of catfish weekly, depending on the quantity of fish we have available to sell. But now, people that usually buy three to four tonnes of fish in a week are only able to buy maybe one or two tonnes. “Aside the fact that the fish is not readily available, it is not as much as it used to be in the market. Usually, at times like this, we experience a little glut of fish in the market, but now, fish is kind of scarce, and you know when demand is higher than the supply, the price of the available fish will go up.

“The major contributor to the increase in the catfish price is the cost of production generally. The raw materials, feeds and others have all increased,” he said. Another catfish farmer, Adegoke Olushola Johnson, who is based in Sango, Ogun State, said in spite of the fall in naira to the dollar rate, fish feeds are still expensive in the market.

“A bag of feed we usually buy between the rate of N8, 000 to N9, 000, is currently being sold at the rate of N22, 000. Despite the fall in the exchange rate, the price of feeds is not coming down. Another cause for the increase in price of catfish is the cost of raw materials, part of the raw materials that we use are not readily available due to the crisis in the Northern part of the country.

“This has affected the demand. For instance, if you use to buy three pieces of fish for N1, 000 and now you are buying just one fish for same price, you’ll need to have a rethink. It has really affected sales.”

A trader at the Makoko fish market, Yaba, Avoseh Lateef Makanjuola, said: “The price of the feeds is high and producers are complaining about the dollar rate. The fish is now costly and people cannot afford much, thereby reducing the sales.”