The Zambia Aquaculture Cooperative Society has reiterated the need for government to provide fish farmers with a fish feed scheme to cushion the current high feed prices.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Cooperative Board Chairperson Dr Collins Kachaka said fish feed is no longer affordable stating that prices have gone up four times within a month and now trading at K485.
He added that there should be a scheme so that farmers can be helped to buy quality feed for their fish because, without quality feed, the fish will fail to grow to the desired standard.
“The feed is no longer affordable, within a month the prices have gone up four times. There should be a scheme so that Fish farmers can be assisted to acquire quality feed.”
“Without quality feed, the fish will be stunted and fail to grow, hence the fish endeavour becomes a flop and the farmer fails to pay back, so we need a fish feed scheme,” Dr Kachaka said.
Meanwhile, Dr Kachaka also bemoaned the increase in the price of Pond liners which he says is making it difficult for fish farmers to expand Aquaculture activities.
He said there is also a need for a kind of scheme where fish farmers can get the pond liners and pay for them at the time of harvest so as to increase fish production.
“Pond liners are also very expensive in Zambia, and our soils are sandy soils meaning that the fish farmers will require the pond liners to hold the water.”
“We need a kind of scheme again where fish farmers can get the pond liners and pay at harvest time and that way we shall be able to expand our fish endeavours,” he stated.