Fish farming group requests subsidies from the government

MWANZA: THE Fish farming group members in Lake Victoria at Kisoko site in Luchelele Ward, Nyamagana District have asked the government to provide them subsidies as it is the case in other sectors, mostly agriculture, for the productivity of their investments.

 However, they commended the free-interest loans that the government offered them last year through Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB), which made their investments lucrative, despite minor challenges, especially high fish feed costs.

Deputy Chairperson for ‘Vijana Kazini’ Group that is composed of five members, Mr Elisha Abel, has said today, September 16th, 202,5, that they received about 117, with 82m/-being termed as a short-term loan for fish feed purchase. The rest was allocated to the manufacturing of fish. cages.

“The actual farming took off in March and the harvest in October, last year. The income was enough to clear the short-term loan, and we remained with 20m/- profit that was distributed to members.

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“The business pays back, but we could be doing much better if we had a subsidy for fish feeds that consume about 80 percent of the capital,” he said during the TADB tour to observe the farming development.

He further explained the feeds range between 4,500/- and 4,000/- per kilogramme, and expect to have them for at least 2,500/- per kilogramme once they are subsidized.

TADB Lake Zone Fish Farm Project Coordinator, Ms Glacia Marugujo, the Bank is in talks with different stakeholders and industrialists, for strengthening fish feed production that could lower the costs.