The Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) has attributed poor budgetary outlay on the part of local fish farmers as the major challenge of the sector.

The association’s chairman, Sunday Onoja, in an interview, said the inadequate budget outlay had led to the collapse of many fish farms apart from the rising cost of fish feed.

“In a recent webinar discussion, it has occurred to us that fish farmers are being frustrated in most African countries due to middlemen exploitation.

“We have also come to realise that the middlemen are not just the problem we face in the sector but inadequate budget planning of most fish farmers,” he said.

According to Mr Onoja, many farmers sell at a loss due to the rising cost of fish feed.

He said fish farmers need to understand the dynamics of pricing their produce in line with operational costs.

“It is not necessarily the issue of rising feed costs that is increasing the cost of operations for local farmers but inadequate planning on their part.

“If the cost of feed goes up, ultimately the price of fish will go up, farmers need to understand the dynamics of this calculation to break even.

“The cost of maintenance of the farm also cost a lot aside from buying the stock and the feed. The farmer must factor all these into the cost of operations before selling.

“This way poultry farmers can break even and still remain relevant in the industry. Poultry farmers need enough financial management and planning to get it right,” Mr Onoja said. 

(NAN)