By Mercy Omoike
Lagos – A don, Dr Lateef Folorunso, has identified the prevalence of quacks and charlatans as the major problem plaguing the Nigerian fishery industry.
Folorunso, the Deputy Provost and Head of Fisheries Centre at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
He highlighted several problems hindering the growth of the fishery sector, saying the increase of dubious characters in the sector was the foremost.
“There are several issues currently plaguing the Nigerian fishery industry.
“Foremost is the proliferation of quacks and dishonest people in the sector.
“These quacks confuse investors and tell all sorts of lies to get their money,’’ he said.
According to him, some investors themselves are not ready to listen to the truth.
“They only listen to those who tell lies to them such as one male plus one female will give about 10,000 eggs and later 10,000 fingerlings.
“If it is sold at N20 each you can get 10, 000 x N20, which amount to N200, 000.
“With this trend, people are sceptical about investing in the sector so as not to lose their investment based on false hopes.’’
Folorunso said that the issue of infrastructure deficit increases the cost of running a profitable fish farm or business.
“This has to do with electricity, roads and others.
“The inadequacy of infrastructures has an attendant increase in the cost of production, processing and packaging of fish products.
“Feed is also an issue but we are gradually getting a way around it.
“We now have fish feed producing companies in Nigeria, but the cost is still high.
“If the cost of rearing fish is higher than the cost of the imported ones, then people will go for the imported fish at the detriment of local production,’’ he said.
Folorunso also lamented about the high cost of vehicle maintenance due to bad road, which had also triggered the cost transportation.
The don also called for the encouragement of large scale investors in the fishery sector and provision of grants for research.
“We need to encourage large scale investment and homestead investment through advocacy.’’
(NAN)