Mr. King Cofie Faska, a catfish farmer in Nungua, has called on fish farmers in Ghana to add value to their produce by processing their fish for local and international markets.
He said such a move was essential to increasing income, creating jobs, and positioning Ghana’s aquaculture sector as a competitive player on the global stage.
He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that merely selling fresh catfish was no longer enough in today’s market, as there was a lot of potential in processing catfish into smoked fish, sausages, and other products.
He added that value-added products fetch higher prices locally and abroad, explaining that processed fish products would offer better market opportunities with the growing population and rising demand for convenience and ready-to-eat foods.
“Many people do not have the time to clean and prepare raw fish; they usually prefer it cleaned before buying, so if we provide clean packaging and brand, it well, we will attract more customers,” he said.
Mr. Faska urged government agencies, private investors, and development partners to support fish farmers with training, equipment, and access to funds to enable them to venture into processing.
He called on the youth to explore the opportunities in fish farming, describing the sector as a promising avenue for employment and income generation, and pointed out that catfish farming required low start-up capital compared to other forms of agriculture and could be done in small spaces.
He also encouraged young people to take advantage of digital tools and social media to market their fish and fish products and called for more collaboration among stakeholders in the fisheries value chain to build a vibrant aquaculture sector.
