Continuation...


[b]In our findings, we discovered that there are over 13 different areas that Nigerians are gainfully employed in the catfish farming sector. These include: 1) pond construction, 2) breeding, 3) feed milling, 4) selling of input, 5) marketing of fresh fish, 6) setting up of fish processing factory, 7) importation, marketing of floating feed, 9) repairing of implements (e.g. pumping machines), 10) consultancy services, 11) work opportunities for farm attendants, 12) transportation and logistics, 13) harvesting.

It will be folly for any reasonable government to neglect a sector that provides so many opportunities for the unemployed, which is why Nigerian farmers are crying for a saviour at this critical moment.

Until recent times, Nigerian catfish farmers have been able to overcome their numerous challenges and thrive. They are now beset with so many challenges that are threatening the industry, and unless the Nigerian government comes in, the once promising industry has a gloomy future.

Some of the challenges in Nigeria’s fish farming sector that need urgent intervention from the government

One of the major challenges of the moment is the low quality of imported inputs (raw materials), some of which include fish meal (72%, 68% and 65%), soya meal, methionine, lysine and other minor ingredients.
A recent informal survey conducted between January and July this year shows that imported materials are not yielding as much as locally available materials which have not been available due to the Nigeria’s internal Boko Haram crisis. This was further aggravated when the border was closed during the 2015 elections.

Imported fish feeds are not exempt, and a 2012 study of imported floating fish feeds revealed that the actual proximate composition of fish feeds, when analyzed in the lab, was inferior to what was declared by the companies producing the feeds. Four brands were analyzed and fish feed sold by one of the brands, Adolf Calyx, contained just 25.89% crude protein while the company declared 42% crude protein on their label. To the unsuspecting farmer, this discrepancy can have catastrophic effects.

Even some of the locally sourced ingredients have been adulterated. For example, there has not been pure GNC for a long time now. What is sold as GNC is either blended with Bern seed, rice meal, shea butter, or other less proteinous ingredients.
In fact, findings of an informal survey of catfish farmers in various parts of southwest Nigeria, show a good majority of them are now running at a loss since the first half of this year, and the increasing unavailability of ingredients and degradation of the quality of available ingredients is playing no mean feat in this.

Bearing in mind that some of these people took loans from commercial banks with high interest rates above 20%, it makes no sense to continue the business if it is unprofitable, and this is leading to an exodus in the catfish farming sector.

The fish breeders have not been helping the situation in any way. As a result of increase in demand for fingerlings and juveniles, many breeders now use inferior broodstock to breed for innocent farmers. Some even do in-breeding, bearing in mind that the quality of fingerlings and juveniles depends on the parent stock. Little wonder farmers are not getting results like before. The size that can be attained in six months before now may not be attained in eight months. Due to this, many farmers have been unable to recoup their capital within a reasonable period of time.
The current structure of the market for catfish is not helping the situation in any way. There are few individuals that dictate the pace of this business instead of the force of demand and supply. Many economists may argue with this fact, but what should a farmer do when middlemen purchase on credit and refuse to pay? In fact, it isn’t uncommon for few individuals, especially middlemen, to meet and fix the price of the outputs.
In an ideal economy, the price of inputs should determine the price of outputs but this is not the case with the catfish farming industry in Nigeria. The price of the output is often not in agreement with the price of input. A farmer could raise his fishes when the price of inputs are sky high only to sell when the price of outputs has dropped, often resulting in a loss, and nothing is being done to check this.

To sustain the current government policy banning importation of certain items that include fish products, the Nigerian government must do something to save this sector of the economy.

Proposed solutions

1. The Nigerian government should make use of existing institutional frameworks saddled with the responsibility of regulating and standardizing inputs and raw materials. For example, bodies like the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) and NAFDAC should be proactive at ensuring the quality of inputs entering the country and produced in the country, to ensure that the stated quality are in accordance with what is declared.

2. Research institutes should be established, or empowered, to produce quality broodstock and make them widely available to local breeders to use nationwide. When establishing these institutes, the government should consider areas with is a high concentration of catfish farmers. This will ensure the availability of their produce to the breeders and farmers.

3. The government should be involved in marketing and distribution of the products of the outputs. This can be achieved through price boards and other regulations and controls to ensure stability in catfish production and also the availability of these products all year round.

Conclusion

If the catfish farming sector is ignored and subsequently collapses, the Nigerian government will be dealing a major blow to the agricultural sector that currently employs the highest number of the Nigerian populace. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to ensure the sustainability of this emerging industry.
[/b]

Written by Bamidele Onibalusi
www.naij.com

robonski15:

My able chief abeg send me a message on whatsapp we need to discuss.

my oga, my no dey gree add new contact for days now, abeg if u can add me 07061285365

miqos02:
my oga, my no dey gree add new contact for days now, abeg if u can add me 07061285365

OK sir..

Somebody Pls Help , My Fish Dies At post juvenile in an Earthern pond....How Do I Correct It. I LOOSE MY PHONE BY ARMED MEN AND COULDN'T GET MYFARMERS FRIENDS AT WHATSAPP ......PLS SEND BELEXY me

donclassfarm:
Somebody Pls Help , My Fish Dies At post juvenile in an Earthern pond....How Do I Correct It. I LOOSE MY PHONE BY ARMED MEN AND COULDN'T GET MYFARMERS FRIENDS AT WHATSAPP ......PLS SEND BELEXY me

what where the symptoms?

Hello farmers, this forum is very educative and has contributed immensely to my knowledge on catfish business.
I have table sized catfish ready for sale at affordable prices. Available buyers in Abuja and environs can connect me on 07065530520

I think my pond is infected. Am having mortality and I have administered aquacirine plus and fish biotic. The symptoms they have is peeling skin. How do I stop this crises and mortality? Make una help my company

dkings101:
I think my pond is infected. Am having mortality and I have administered aquacirine plus and fish biotic. The symptoms they have is peeling skin. How do I stop this crises and mortality? Make una help my company

i think i can help here what's the age of the fish now and what's of the water in the pond. pls how many is the fish lt us start from there if it is sorting sort some fish out oooooo.

dkings101:
I think my pond is infected. Am having mortality and I have administered aquacirine plus and fish biotic. The symptoms they have is peeling skin. How do I stop this crises and mortality? Make una help my company

Is it concrete or earthen pond?

mitchel:
Hello farmers, this forum is very educative and has contributed immensely to my knowledge on catfish business.
I have table sized catfish ready for sale at affordable prices. Available buyers in Abuja and environs can connect me on 07065530520

Contact Juve farms asap

Johnnyessence:
i think i can help here what's the age of the fish now and what's of the water in the pond. pls how many is the fish lt us start from there if it is sorting sort some fish out oooooo.

They are 4 month old. I have done my sorting. Someone advice i get kempro....don't know how to spell it in full...guess it's sold for like N600...what do you advice?

robonski15:

Is it concrete or earthen pond?

My oga na Plastic pond oo

dkings101:


They are 4 month old. I have done my sorting. Someone advice i get kempro....don't know how to spell it in full...guess it's sold for like N600...what do you advice?



My oga na Plastic pond oo

Common salt can do the trick here. Remove all the fishes from the vat, wash the vat thoroughly with detergent, rinse very well. Rub salt all over the vat leave to dry for a while rinse again then add water... They should be fine

Thanks...I would try it out.

WhoBeThisMan:
we are still waiting for the conclution of the story...

I am sorry for the delay my experience, i have been busy this past week at work and renovating my ponds for the next stage.

At five months and some days, i sold my fish and my breakdown is as follows;

Total fish sold 935
Total Kg 570kg
Average weight 0.61kg
Breakdown= 112fish weigh 1kg and above, 80 weigh between 0.8-0.9kg while other weigh between 0.7-0.3kg
Quantity of feed 40 bags weighing 585kg

FEEDING REGIME:
1 bag Coppens 2mm 30days
1 bag Coppens 2mm 13days
8 bags of Multi & Vital 3mm 40days
7 bags of Vital 4mm 28days
15 bags [4mm 8bags] [6mm 2bags] [9mm 5bags] 43days
7bags [6mm 3bags] [9mm 4bags]
TOTAL FEED=40BAGS

My Observation:
From my experience so far, i discovered that to feed 1000 fish to attain average weight of 1kg will required at least 1100kg or 74bags of feed which will cost N345,000 to feed to table size.

How can 1000 fish consume 74bags of feeds within 5month with limited wastage?[b][/b]
This will require maximum water management which will enhance the feeding. A lot of farmer find it difficult to feed their fish enough feed withing the required month because the fish do not eat enough thereby not growing enough.

Another thing i observed was that the buyers seems to PUNISH THE FARMER for under-growing the fish because this can only explain why fish of 1kg and above goes for 550 while below 1kg is priced as low as 430naira.

For your fish to attain 1kg and above, your fingerlings need to eat close to 2bags of coppens in the first 30days with good water management or 4bags of 2mm in the first 45days. I think this period will be a guide for fish farmers to ascertain how well their fish are doing and to know the quality of seed they have.

I expect my Oga's in the house to scrutinise and give better input so the forumites can benefit from your wealth of experience

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion based on my previous experience having taken enough time to record, study and observe performance of my fish and should not be taken as standard or professional advice. However, it can be used as a guide for first timer with similar circumstances.

Ttalk:


I am sorry for the delay my experience, i have been busy this past week at work and renovating my ponds for the next stage.

At five months and some days, i sold my fish and my breakdown is as follows;

Total fish sold 935
Total Kg 570kg
Average weight 0.61kg
Breakdown= 112fish weigh 1kg and above, 80 weigh between 0.8-0.9kg while other weigh between 0.7-0.3kg
Quantity of feed 40 bags weighing 585kg

FEEDING REGIME:
1 bag Coppens 2mm 30days
1 bag Coppens 2mm 13days
8 bags of Multi & Vital 3mm 40days
7 bags of Vital 4mm 28days
15 bags [4mm 8bags] [6mm 2bags] [9mm 5bags] 43days
7bags [6mm 3bags] [9mm 4bags]
TOTAL FEED=40BAGS

My Observation:
From my experience so far, i discovered that to feed 1000 fish to attain average weight of 1kg will required at least 1100kg or 74bags of feed which will cost N345,000 to feed to table size.

How can 1000 fish consume 74bags of feeds within 5month with limited wastage?[b][/b]
This will require maximum water management which will enhance the feeding. A lot of farmer find it difficult to feed their fish enough feed withing the required month because the fish do not eat enough thereby not growing enough.

Another thing i observed was that the buyers seems to PUNISH THE FARMER for under-growing the fish because this can only explain why fish of 1kg and above goes for 550 while below 1kg is priced as low as 430naira.

For your fish to attain 1kg and above, your fingerlings need to eat close to 2bags of coppens in the first 30days with good water management or 4bags of 2mm in the first 45days. I think this period will be a guide for fish farmers to ascertain how well their fish are doing and to know the quality of seed they have.

I expect my Oga's in the house to scrutinise and give better input so the forumites can benefit from your wealth of experience

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion based on my previous experience having taken enough time to record, study and observe performance of my fish and should not be taken as standard or professional advice. However, it can be used as a guide for first timer with similar circumstances.

thanks for the breakdown, God bless ur work.
In terms of profit, how much did you make compared to the total spent? And also was it difficult to get buyers? And how long did it take to sell everything?

Thanks

WhoBeThisMan:
thanks for the breakdown, God bless ur work.
In terms of profit, how much did you make compared to the total spent? And also was it difficult to get buyers? And how long did it take to sell everything?

Thanks

It can be funny when you want to sell a times because the buyers test your experience on the business to know how to deal with you. You have to be smart enough to know their evil plans or else you will be duped.

Regarding my experience on the marketing, having contacted about three buyers that promised to buy as soon as am ready to sell decline to pick my calls when i eventually wanted to sell, i have to tell one that i am not desparate to sell my fish and cut him off when he started blabbing.
I later contacted a freind who linked me with one buyer only for him to come with buckets and guys pricing my fish at 460naira flat rate. I send him out and locked my gate despite the fact that my feeds has already finished but i was stubborn enough to resist the temptation.
I later sold the following day @ 500 from 0.8 -1.2kg and 460naira for other smaller kg.
5 buckets [30kg] of 0.8 -1-2 @ 500 naira per kg
Others 460kg

Like i said earlier, buyers punish you if your fish are smaller but reward a smart farmer that his harvest is 1kg and above. You can conveniently sell at 550naira if 70% of your fish attain 1kg and above. For you to be a smart farmer target average 1.2kg and forget about the quantity but target the quality of your fish and you will not regret it

About the profit, i did not invest for the first time to make profit rather i used it to learn the business. If you asked me of my physical input plus the financial input i will say i make a loss. But for my financial input alone, i was able to recoop all my running cost which i intend reinvest as my capital input for subsequent stocking.

Fish farming is very challenging, interesting and enterprising, you have to be rugged enough for it to yield good result. My sincere advice to newbie like me is to always pay attention to details particularly advice of Professor Robonski, and other gurus, they captured it all in this thread free of charge. All you need to do is read, digest, test and execute and you will smile to the bank.

Whatever i have lost in input, i have gained 10times in experience and knowledge. Preparation for my next stocking has commenced in top gear.

NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER

Hello my brother, congrats on your first attempt. To even come out with some profit is encouraging to some of us who haven't taken the plunge yet. From all i have learnt in this thread and your experience i make the following deductions;
It is more profitable to get your fishes to over 1 kg in weight and this starts with the QUALITY of your SEEDS.
The key to more even weight distribution is SORTING. This must be done regularly { every 2 weeks according to Boss Robonski }.
To get 1000 fish to table size would require approximately 65 BAGS of feed.
Excellent water management cannot be over emphasized.
Marketing can be even more tricky than breeding the fish.
Once again thanks for sharing your experience with us. Good luck on your next harvest.

GOLDLOVER:
Hello my brother, congrats on your first attempt. To even come out with some profit is encouraging to some of us who haven't taken the plunge yet. From all i have learnt in this thread and your experience i make the following deductions;
It is more profitable to get your fishes to over 1 kg in weight and this starts with the QUALITY of your SEEDS.
The key to more even weight distribution is SORTING. This must be done regularly { every 2 weeks according to Boss Robonski }.
To get 1000 fish to table size would require approximately 65 BAGS of feed.
Excellent water management cannot be over emphasized.
Marketing can be even more tricky than breeding the fish.
Once again thanks for sharing your experience with us. Good luck on your next harvest.

You get it, and in addition, your water management is the most important, this will enhance their feeding performance which will result in rapid growth.
Space is another magic factor in attaining rapid fish growth. An expert farmer can still manipulate the seed performance to an extent. It is safer to over-budget, 75bags should be your estimate

lots of people with loss position. its kinda of worrisome.

dkings101:


They are 4 month old. I have done my sorting. Someone advice i get kempro....don't know how to spell it in full...guess it's sold for like N600...what do you advice?



My oga na Plastic pond oo

Water management, how often do you change water

jaz:
lots of people with loss position. its kinda of worrisome.

Don't be bro, if you take a closer look they are freshers, everything will turn out good with time

il take your word for it.

robonski15:

Don't be bro, if you take a closer look they are freshers, everything will turn out good with time

must all newbies loose on first attempt

kniceport1:
@JUVEFARMS,thanks alot,we have communicated several times,i am kehinde that called you sometime from karu.I will try to visit you in mpape before the month runs out.

@kniceport1 please can I get ur contact I'm around your axis will like to visit your farm!! Tnx

robonski15:

Don't be bro, if you take a closer look they are freshers, everything will turn out good with time

2 is it a must dat every fresher must loose at first try.

2. oga robonski pls can u give me a detailed explanation how dis fishes are being mesured ,it s been very difclt for me to understand d previous explanations .lets say if a single fish weighs 1 kg and d price is say 450 per kg does it mean i m to be paid 450 for d fish? tnk you.

chuksogb:
must all newbies loose on first attempt

It all depends on your input in terms of the right practices (water mgt and proper feeding culture).
But have this in mind, if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself up and try again.

pls i need the address of distributors of Rana feeds in ibadan urgently,...

korel9:


It all depends on your input in terms of the right practices (water mgt and proper feeding culture).
But have this in mind, if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself up and try again.

thanks bro,i m just too scared to venture due to the fact that some ppl say they loose on their first attempt.i cant afford to loose because i dont have money to reinvest.
taking JAMB for example some pass in just one sitting while others fail.those it also apply to Fish farming? expecting ur response.thank you.

chuksogb:

thanks bro,i m just too scared to venture due to the fact that some ppl say they loose on their first attempt.i cant afford to loose because i dont have money to reinvest.
taking JAMB for example some pass in just one sitting while others fail.those it also apply to Fish farming? expecting ur response.thank you.

Yes it also applies and is not limited to these two aspects of life.
It's not every biz u venture into dat u hit from d onset. Some of those don't even last when compared with those u failed at first but persistence made u get up and try again.
Follow this thread religiously and our profs in d house. Believe me u will have a 2nd thought about wanting to give up. I did and believe me I'm forever grateful to all of dem and my resilience is paying off.
Best of luck

good day ogas, you are really doing a nice job here... MAY GOD BLESS OUR HANDWORK.

PLEASE, WHAT ARE THE EFFECT OF SALINE WATER ON FRIES AND LARVAE?

Don't be scared of failing. You should just ensure you learnt something from that failure. Majority of people that succeed today had failed at one time or the other. Robonski failed woefully when he started but today he is happy. I am presently failing seriously in hatchery with five production & nothing to show for it, however, I am learning at every attempt & I know for sure that I ll share the testimony very soon. Only be encouraged. Failure just shows u didn't do it well at that attempt only. Good luck!

I need tilapia fingerlings,i live in Akute,ogun state. where can i get in small qty,just want to test run whether it may survive.my nomba is 08131688341,am pelumi by name.