How To Start A Profitable Catfish Farming Business: Invest N80, 000, Earn An Upward Profit of N500, 000 Monthly, Fish Farming! To start Catfish farming is not really difficult as it requires low startup capital and grows rapidly within a short period, thereby guaranteeing quick and high turnover. A modern fish farm does not necessarily need a large expanse of land. If water and land/space like one room apartment is available, then you don’t have any problem starting this venture. With about N80, 000, you can set up a small scale fish fingerling producing business. Catfish is very reproductive specie as six females and two male fish can give you up to 20,000 fingerlings at a go. Grooming the fish begins from the nursery operations, including the female fish laying eggs, which are fertilized, incubated and hatched. The hatched fish are nurtured between three to four weeks during which they become fingerlings. These fingerlings are further cared for over a period of about 10 weeks, after which they mature into the juvenile stage. The last stage is the post juvenile, at which they become suitable for consumption. One can make money from these fish at any stage of their lives because they can always be sold to others who need them in their farms. The fingerlings can be sold for at least N15 each, while the juvenile can be sold for about N25 naira, depending on the specie. The unit price for table sized catfish ranges from N550 to N950 per kg at retail outlets and from N1, 300 to N1, 800 in restaurants, depending on the size. That means that, with just 2000 medium sized catfish produced in two months, you can earn an upward of N500, 000 per month. Can you beat that? Another interesting thing about this venture is that it is an all- year round thing, as it has no season. Apart from selling the fresh fish, a fish farmer can also make more money by selling the dried processed fish. A pack of two medium sized processed dried fish can be sold for about N800 and above depending on its size. Akinbolagun, the National President of the Catfish Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), said that Nigeria has produced 420,000 metric tonnes of fish after aquaculture was included in the Federal Government’s Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme. He added that catfish farming would create over 500,000 jobs, while the country has the potential to produce four million metric tons of seafood annually through aquaculture. The 25 per cent cut in fish importation by the government is a move that has been favourable to the growth of fish farming in the country, having led to the incursion of many more people into the venture. “The ban has helped fish farmers expand their tentacles to produce other fish species and to make them available in the market. This would help our export capabilities as we would be able to export our locally produced fish for economic stability,” Akingbolagun said. Perhaps, another reason why this venture is thriving is the fast increasing demand for Catfish in Nigeria. They have now become a food of choice in bars and restaurants, where they are used for “point and kill” and can be sold for as much as N1, 500, depending on the size of the fish. Though relatively expensive, it is consumed by all classes of people, as many prefer it to meat, since it is a healthier source of level of protein. As a result, the market for fish in Nigeria is larger than any other agricultural commodity. However, this is not to say that the venture is devoid of any challenge just like any other business. One major challenge that may be faced by farmers, especially in the rainy seasons, is the flooding of the ponds, as this can lead to the death of the fish, especially the fingerlings that cannot survive for long when they are swept outside the pond. Emmanuel Asuquo, a fish farmer, explains that another challenge fish farmers face is how to deal with fish infections. “Particularly when you are starting off, you may not understand issues about light and dirty water. This is a major cause of infections. There were times when my fish were sick. I was very nervous, particularly when it was a new sickness, and I didn’t know how to handle them,” he explained. However, despite these few challenges, experts still believe that fish farming is the next best place to invest in agriculture, especially considering the ease of entry and enormous opportunities for returns on investment. WRITTEN BY: Martin chibuzo Elui