Fish prices too high for Kenyans
A man harvests tilapia from a fish pond at Kibos farm. Photo/JACOB OWITI
Kenyan consumers have in many months experienced consistent price increase of fish and fish products, thus forcing the government to consider the Aquaculture programme as a viable option in reducing prices.
Aquaculture, which is the farming of freshwater organisms is expected to reduce the prices of fish species such as Tilapia, Nile perch and Dagaa, which are favourite delicacies with consumers.
According to statistics available at Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) headquarters in Kisumu, the mean monthly prices of all the three fisheries increased further in September this year and were the highest in the past 15 months.
Nile perch increased by by 3 per cent to Sh170, Tilapia by 3 per cent to Sh152 and Dagaa by 4 per cent to Sh104.
Estimates from the Fisheries ministry indicate that Kenya has about 1.4 billion hectares of potential fish farming land that, if utilised fully, could earn the country Sh750 billion.
However, Nile perch had a stable daily price in September, selling between Sh166 and Sh174.
Between July 2009 and September 2010, the price of Nile perch has risen by 26 per cent, Tilapia by 42 per cent and Dagaa by 80 per cent.
According to Dr Richard Abila, the deputy director at KMFRI, they expect fish reared in the aquaculture farms to to ease pressure on the lake once they mature and therefore meet the rising demand.
“The lake has continuously provided inadequate fish to the rising appetite for proteins among the public and we expect fish, especially tilapia prices will reduce significantly once those reared in the aquaculture are harvested,” said Dr Abila.
