May 3, 2023

Rising feed costs and diseases affect Ghana's aquaculture industry

Professor Francis Nunoo, chairman of Ghana's Fisheries Commission Board, said the country's aquaculture industry is facing a serious challenge as the cost of feed continues to increase, accounting for more than 70% of total production costs, and diseases continue to spread in aquaculture facilities, Ghana Web reported.

According to the Chamber of Aquaculture, the cost of fish feed has risen by approximately 200% this year alone, largely due to the rising prices of corn and soy beans. This has forced aquaculture sector players to rely on imported substitutes of lower quality to produce feed for their fish, resulting in high import bills for Ghana.

The inability of local fish farmers to meet demand has also put a significant strain on the cedi, Ghana's currency.

Speaking at the 2023 Aquaculture Ghana Conference, Professor Nunoo said that these factors could significantly erode the gains made in the industry over the last decade if not addressed promptly.

To reduce Ghana's reliance on imports and strengthen the local currency, Professor Nunoo called for sustainable ways of producing fish feed locally. This is critical as the rising cost of feed threatens to put feed producers and aquaculture farmers out of business.

Apart from the rising cost of feed, the prevalence of fish disease is another challenge facing the industry. Efforts are being made to address this through capacity building in the veterinary sector under Ghana's Fish for Development programme.

-      Ghana Web