Nigeria to start production of canned fish – CAFAN scribe

Chief Rotimi Onibale, National Secretary, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) on Monday said the association would soon start the production of canned catfish in the country.

Onibale, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, said that research was ongoing to ensure that Nigeria started its own production of canned fish.

“Our association is in the process of research to start the production of canned fish in Nigeria and we hope to implement it fully this year because it has been long overdue.

“When the sardines from Tunisia and Morocco go out of production, we will be able to have our own locally made fish to eat and we will also export to other countries,’’ he said.

Onibale added that the proposed canned catfish would have all vital food benefits that would also be good for the growth of children.

He said that the project was being supported by two organisations including the National Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMAR) and Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).

Onibale, who noted the importance of catfish in the body system, added that the canning process would soon get registered and made available in the market.

“We are happy to announce that the canning of the catfish is still in its gradual process and we are making all efforts to register the product by the regulatory bodies in Nigeria.

“We hope that before the year runs out, all the research work would have been completed and the product made available to the consumers,’’ he said.