FG Considering Fish Importation Ban – Agric Minister

As the government continues to bolster
other non-oil revenue sources in a bid to
diversify the country’s economy, Minister
of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr
Akinwumi Adesina has said that the Federal
Government may soon place a total ban on the importation of fish and other aquatic
consumables. Speaking, Tuesday, in Ado-Ekiti, at the
launch of the Special Growth Enhancement
Support (GES) scheme for Fisheries and
Aquaculture value chain, Adesina, however,
said that the ban would be imposed, only if
arrangements being put in place by the government to that effect worked as
planned. Represented at the occasion by the Federal
Director of Fisheries, Mrs. Foluke Areola,
the minister stressed that Nigeria had no
business importing fish given its huge
natural and renewable resources. He said it was in view of this that the
ministry was promoting increased fish
production through the Aquaculture Value
Chain. This is in pursuance of the goal of
the Agricultural Transformation Agenda
(ATA), he said “The Value Chains are to create an enabling
environment for increased and sustainable
production of over one million tonnes of
fish within the next four years, generate
employment and pursue gradual reduction
of fish imports.” Under the four-year implementation plan,
Adesina said the Aquaculture Value Chain,
would increase the annual production of
fingerlings in the country by 1.25 billion
tonnes. He said it would also produce 400,000
tonnes of fish feed, generate additional
250,000 tonnes of table fish and 100,000
tonnes of Value Added fish products. “Fish farming is a business venture with lots
of potential investment opportunities and a
veritable tool for increased fish production,
poverty alleviation and sustainable
livelihoods.” The minister noted that the Aquaculture
Value Chain had already been included in
the Growth Enhancement Support (GES)
scheme for 2013. He said, under the scheme, inputs such as
fish and other sea foods would be
distributed to many Nigerian fish farmers. Adesina therefore lauded the efforts of
President Goodluck Jonathan and his
administration’s initiative in transforming
agriculture into a serious business venture
as well as in ensuring adequate food
security for Nigerians. He announced that in an effort by
government to protect local fish farmers
operating in the country, measures had
been put in place to curb illegal importation
of fish. Adesina said that the ministry was
collaborating with officers and men of the
Nigeria Customs Service in this regard,
adding that the Federal Department of
Fisheries had also been directed to ensure
that the stoppage of importation of the banned fish inputs. In his speech, Gov. Kayode Fayemi, who was
represented by the Secretary to the State
Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi,
thanked the Federal Government for its
benevolence. He said the state government would
support its policies and programmes on
agriculture. [PMNEWS]