By Lukman Olabiyi
World Bank has supported Lagos State Catfish Association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN), Ikorodu Chapter with a blast freezer. Blast freezer is a specially designed freezer room with operating temperature ranging between -25 to -40o C.
It is designed to fast-freeze fresh meat, fish, chicken, turkey, or other food items.
The equipment has a capacity of half-a-ton per cycle with about eight-hours cooling and can process one ton of fish daily
The support came through the Agro-Productivity, Processing, Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project. Ms Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture, said the project was to promote value addition and to tackle post harvest loss of farmers. She noted that the introduction of the frozen catfish would address and deliver fish farmers from the crush of fishmongers who determine price without recourse to cost of production:
“Lagos State with a population of about 25 million people require 425,009 tonnes of fish demand per annum, in line with the World Health Organisation recommendation of 17kg fish protein intake per person per annum.”
Represented by Director of Fisheries, Mrs Daisi Osunkoya, she said this was against the current fish production figure of about 198,706 tons per annum in the state: “Fish, a major source of protein, is low in cholesterol making it medically acceptable to young and old people.
“The flexibility of fish farming encouraged the involvement of both older and younger people in fish farming, as a means of livelihood.
“Catfish farming has dominated the aquaculture industry in Lagos State and Nigeria for more than two decades because of its handiness, fast growth, and acceptance of artificial feed, among others.
“Over the years, marketing has been a major challenge to fish farmers across the country. The introduction of the frozen catfish will address and deliver our fish farmers from fishmongers who determines price without recourse to cost of production. This will give the farmers the opportunity to set good price for their product and in turn expand their production.”
Mrs Omolara Oguntuyi, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the ministry would continue to support the association. She urged the farmers to take proper care of the project and to transfer the knowledge to their children.