Nigeria: Why Abuja fish farmers increase catfish price from N1,100 to N1,800 per kg

Following a meeting between fish farmers and catfish traders in Abuja on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, the price of one kilogram of catfish will now sell for N1,800, up from the initial N1, 300 per kilogram. A price hike and maintenance of this new regime was agreed upon by the fish stakeholders from Ibadan and Ilorin. Additionally, updated prices showed that 700g–900g of catfish would now cost N1,400, while 500g-600g would cost N1,300. The Abuja fish farmer’s working committees presented the feeding plan for 1,000 fish, which reveals that farmers have suffered significant losses recently. The total cost of raising 1,000 fish was N1.3 million, and the ratio indicates that 1kg of fish costs 1300 with additional hidden costs, while farmers have been selling their fish at a loss at N1,100 per kg. Juvenile seeds currently cost N45 each, making a thousand pieces cost N45,000. According to statistics, 90 percent of Abuja’s fish farmers stock Clarias catfish rather than hybrids, while ...