MEDIUM-SCALE
PRODUCERS
These producers usually produce and sell
more than 20 000 fingerlings during a production season. In most cases, there
are hatchery facilities complete fry rearing and nursery pond. Often the volume of production in a
particular season is dependent on the level of management and competence of the
fish breeder and hatchery manager. Almost all the farms and hatcheries are
operating below installed capacity, at best between 20-25 percent production
levels. In effect, a hatchery that produces between 50 000-100 000 fingerlings
could easily have produced up to 500 000 with capacity utilization. Factors
responsible for low-capacity operation include amongst others:
i)
Lack of enough good broodstock supply
throughout the year
ii) Unreliability
of year round high quality water supply to the hatchery
iii) Poor
handling and management of hatchings and frys
iv) Lack
of enough space to hold the frys coming out the hatchery e.g. rearing and
nursery ponds
v) Lack
of adequate operating capital.
Usually
investment in seed production infrastructure at this level can range from N 250
000 –N 5 million (i.e. US$ 2000 – US$ 40 000) depending on the facilities
available n the farm. Most government fish farms before abandonment fall into
this category of producers. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) at this level
also varies so widely that it is very difficult to generalize. There are about
200 medium-scale seed producers in Nigeria, mostly private entrepreneurs and
are collectively responsible for about 60 percent of all the fish seed supply
in the country especially catfish fingerlings. Most of these hatcheries are
situated in the south-south (especially Delta State) zone and couth-west zone.
Many of them also use the flow-through system.
CALL 08032861326 FOR HELP AND CONSULTANCY.
