Following the visit of Ghana’s President John Mahama to Singapore from August 26 to 28, it has been confirmed that Singapore-based agri-business group, Olam Agri, which has plants in several African countries, will invest $200 million in pasta, poultry and aquafeed plants this year. Olam’s Ghana unit is currently a major producer of flour for the Ghanaian market, and its wheat bran byproduct provides a valuable raw material for small poultry farmers. The investment in Ghana’s feed sector appears to be part of a move across West Africa. In addition to being a major player on Nigeria’s grain market, Olam Nigeria produces 500,000 metric tonnes of poultry feed and 100,000 metric tonnes of fish feed under the Eco-Float, Aqualis, Blue Crown and Alpha brands. In Senegal, where it is a major player in wheat processing, Olam Agri increased its presence with the acquisition last year of Avisen SARL, the country’s second biggest poultry feed manufacturer.
Charles Glover, a marketing consultant, believes that contrary to some perceptions that high feed costs will continue to slow down the development of Ghana’s aquaculture sector, the feed industry would rather provide the required drive. “The recent entry of new companies indicates prospects for the future. Initially, Raanan faced competition only from some foreign brands. Now, we also have Beacon Feeds, R and B Farms and Deheuss/Koudijs, with Olam to join in shortly. There are outstanding indications that the supply of maize and soy, the main ingredients, is about to stabilize under the Feed Ghana project, so we would no longer need to import feed ingredients. That will drive prices down. I am greatly encouraged by the support being given to the farmer by the feed companies and the marketing campaign just launched by the fish farmers’ association. Things can only get better.”
Feed issues take center stage as Ghana launches tilapia and catfish Friday campaign
The Tilapia and Catfish Friday campaign, promoted by the Ghana National Aquaculture Association, was launched by the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, at the CSIR Food Research Institute in Accra on August 28, signaling the start of a public awareness effort to promote the consumption of farmed fish products, with the expectation that it would lead to increased fish farm profitability and reduce reliance on imported fish. A wide variety of traditional and recently introduced tilapia and catfish products were available for visitors to taste and purchase. But the center stage was taken by feed issues. Local and foreign feed products drew many visitors, and the Special Farmers Forum on Feed saw lively interactions between farmers and feed manufacturers, and sharing of experiences by farmers in various locations.
The Minister commended the Association for introducing the campaign and expressed confidence that it would lead to the expected increase in patronage. She said that the introduction of the campaign “brings into focus the need for expanding hatcheries for high-quality fingerlings, ensuring affordable and nutritious fish feed, improving cold chain and market infrastructure, and enforcing biosecurity and disease control on farms. “
She commended the innovators who had introduced value-added products like sausages, crackers, and fish powder. “Such products expand consumer choice, extend shelf life, improve branding, and open new markets for fish farmers.” She said that “the government is committed to supporting aquaculture as a vital sector that creates jobs for women and youth while improving nutrition across Ghana.”
The Special Farmers Forum on Feed brought together farmers from various parts of Ghana, fostering lively interactions between them and feed producers, as well as the sharing of experiences among farmers from different locations. Alexandra Ayeribi-Acquah, marketing manager at Deheuss/Koudijs, said that “this has been a very fruitful exercise. It allowed us to interact with fish farmers from various parts of the country. We established some useful contacts, which should lead to good business in the near future. Crucially, we really appreciate the efforts being made by the association to increase the patronage of tilapia and catfish. This will lead to increased demand for fish farm products, which will translate into good business for feed manufacturers and other service producers.”
Ransford Kuranchie, a hatchery farmer based at Tikobo in the Western Region, found the meeting “very useful. It was good to talk to the experts from the feed companies. They have shared very useful information. It was also great to interact with fellow farmers from different parts of Ghana. We have learnt from each other, and I’m thrilled I attended the program.”
Doris Yeboah, Secretary of the Association, told reporters that “the message of the campaign is simple. We are calling on all Ghanaians to go out every Friday to the restaurants, hotels, fast food joints and ‘chop bars’ and enjoy tilapia and catfish delicacies. There are a good number of traditional tilapia and catfish dishes known to Ghanaians, but in recent times, many new delicacies have become available, which answer the changing needs of the consumer. We are mounting a sustained campaign to help us drive the message home. After the launch in Accra, there will be others across Ghana. We estimate a 30% increase in patronage within a year of the launch. This will help address the marketing challenge, especially for small-scale fish farmers. Increased demand will make them less exposed to middlemen who dictate unfair prices. We are also establishing fish markets in various locations, where farmers and processors can make their products available to buyers.”
