Mr Ezinwanne Matthew, a fish seller at the Kado fish market at Life Camp, Abuja, shared some eye-opening insights about why buying fish might get tougher in the near future.
Mr Matthew explained that “the cost of fish is rising because the food fish eat, called fish feed, is getting more expensive too. So, when the cost of feeding the fish goes up, the price of fish goes up as well. It’s like when the price of ingredients goes up, the price of the final product goes up too.”
Mr Matthew noted that “fewer people are buying fish now because of these higher prices. Imagine going to buy your favourite fish and finding out it’s too expensive to afford. That’s the reality for many of us,” he said.
The fish trader also talked about how things were easier a couple of years ago. But now, with prices going up, it’s becoming tougher for everyone.
- I earned N1m from fish farming in 2023 – Civil servant
- Katsina tomato farmers lose profit to production cost
Apart from dwindling purchasing power, he mentioned problems with electricity too. Without proper electricity, it’s hard to keep the fish fresh, which makes it even more difficult to sell.
Despite all these challenges, Mr Matthew remains hopeful. He suggested that “we start farming our own fish locally. By doing this, we can have more control over the supply, which might help bring down the prices in the long run.”
