Aqua firm to boost fish production in Nigeria

‎Following the low production of tilapia fish supply in the country, an aqua firm, Premium Aquaculture has disclosed that it is set to boost tilapia fish production supply with more than 20, 000 MT in next five years.

Speaking at the inaugural harvest of tilapia fish at Oyan Dam in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the Farm Manager, Mr. Govin Daraju said the company was incorporated in 2014 to develop tilapia, catfish and shrimp farming projects across Nigeria.
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri
Minister of State for Agriculture

He said the aim was to produce food fish locally and make Nigeria self - sufficient in line with federal government's agricultural transformation agenda.

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri who inaugurated the first harvest of ‎the tilapia fish disclosed that the nation's fish demand stood at 3.1 metric tonnes per annum.

He added that the country is currently ‎hovering around 1.1 metric tonnes per annum, leaving a deficit of 2.1 metric tonnes.

According to him, the federal government resorted to backward integration to encourage local fish farmers, to bridge the gap between demand and supply

The minister added: "When this administration came on board, the supply was around 800, 000 metric tonnes per annum, but due to government policy on fishery by the ministry of agriculture, the country is now doing 1.1 metric tonnes per annum."

‎Daraju, however, noted that the hatchery facility at Oyan dam has a capacity to produce 12 million fingerlings per annum that can supply half of the country's present tilapia fingerlings requirement.

‎According to him, the food wastage in the country is very high due to lack of fish processing and storage facilities and it can be curtailed only through cold chain.

He added: "The cold chain facility would help the company to supply all-natural, freshly frozen, premium tilapia to the market.‎"

He, therefore, identified lack of aquaculture inputs in the local market as the company's initial challenges, pointing out that the other major challenge was lack of fast growing tilapia fingerlings and uninterrupted supply of good quality feed to grow fish to marketable size.

"Foreseeing the challenges, our company has strategically invested in fish hatchery at first place and also invested in 100 Cages", he said

allafrica.com



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Agric forum to encourage greater technology use by women

Image
Organizers of a one-day agricultural forum for women in Benin, the Edo State capital, have said the event will focus on increasing the awareness of available agricultural and outreach technologies for women in agriculture. The forum which will be anchored by Market Development Programme in the Niger Delta (MADE) with funding from UK Aid, is collaborating with Markets II, funded by USAID and Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND and the Edo State Cooperative Farmers’ Agency is being held for womenas part of activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day. Mr. Fidelis Ekom, MADE’s Communications and Advocacy Manager, in a statement at the weekend said the forum also seeks to facilitate mindset change for women in the adoption of modern technologies and to facilitate engagement between women in agriculture and relevant value chain actors. Ekom said the forum will bring together women farmers in aquaculture, cassava, palm oil, poultry, hon
Read more

7 FEPSAN members to produce 1m tonnes under Presidential Fertiliser Initiative

Image
Seven active blending companies within the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) have been revived and are among the 1st of five batches that would produce 1 million tonnes of fertiliser under the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, Thomas Etuh, President of FEPSAN has said. Etuh who disclosed this while speaking on Presidential Fertiliser Initiative noted that most of the plants owned by FEPSAN members are being revived after being dormant for over a decade. He expressed the hope that more plants would join the initiative before the end of April “Some of the blending plants which have already been supplied with raw materials including phosphate from Morocco and are blending include Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd, Kaduna, producing 300,000 metric tonnes; Al-Yuma Fertilizer Company (300,000 metric tonnes) in Madobi-Kano; Kano Agricultural Supply Company, supplying 15 trailers daily and Golden Fertiliser based in Lagos. “Others blending plants ha
Read more

Saudi investors identify Kwara as host for proposed Agric City

Image
In a move that will further boost food security in Nigeria and contribute to the diversification agenda of the government, Zain Al-abdin Group, an investment company based in Saudi Arabia, has announced plans to set up a multi-purpose Agric City in Kwara State. Speaking to newsmen at the end of his visit to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed in Ilorin, Zain Al-Abdin Nafawi, Chairman of Zain Al-abdin Group said the city or settlement will comprise a cluster of farms specialising in cultivation, processing and export of rice, maize and vegetables. Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, Governor, Kwara State   Governor Ahmed in his welcome speech to the Saudi delegation noted that the multimillion dollar investment is in line with the state government’s plan to broaden the state’s economy, feed the people and provide feed stock for industries. He expressed delight at the decision of the Saudi group to invest in Kwara State. Nafawi who led the delegation including other
Read more