CAFAN urges catfish farmers to shun Coppens feeds over price hike

Chief Tayo Akingbolagun, President, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), on Monday urged fish farmers to shun Coppens feeds, over its arbitrary hike in prices.

 Speaking in Lagos, Akingbolagun said that the 50 per cent increment in the price of Coppens 2mm feeds, was a reflection of the company’s unfriendly posture in the market.

He said that the 2mm Coppens feeds being sold for N5, 000 suddenly increased to N7, 500 during the Yuletide, a development which had put many farmers in a difficult situation.

According to him, the prices of other feeds in the market have remained stable, in spite of the fluctuations in the foreign exchange market.

“Coppens has not been friendly in the market. The 2mm feeds is one of the feeds used by farmers in the hatchery business, to boost the growth of fingerlings.

“Coppens have been most insensitive to the plight of farmers in the country. They believe that farmers will buy their feeds, come what may.

“This is why I am calling on farmers in the country to boycott their product and make do with other feeds like Aqua, Durante, Vital, to mention but a few,’’ Akingbolagun said.

The CAFAN president said that the country was capable of producing its feeds, floating and sinking, locally, and called on the government to leverage it in its economic diversification policies.

“Nigeria has all it takes to produce feeds. The nation must look inwards and create the enabling environment for feed production to thrive,’’ Akingbolagun said.

He urged the Federal Government to support international feed millers, who are prepared to invest in feed production in the country.

“I am aware that some international feed millers are ready to come to Nigeria to invest in feed production. I call on the government to give them the needed support in this regard,’’ Akingbolagun said.

The association’s chief advised government to come out with a road map for investors in the sector, as practised in other parts of the world.

Coppens is an international company based in the Netherlands, and produces feeds for aquaculture.