The Lagos State Catfish Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN) has decried what it described as a monopoly by traders and middlemen in the sale of catfish, saying the development is hurting farmers’ profitability across the state.
Chairman of the association, Mr. Olatoye Fajimi, made the remarks in an interview with journalists on Monday in Lagos.
Fajimi said local fish farmers were unable to determine the selling price of their produce, alleging that market traders dictate prices and restrict farmers’ direct access to markets.
“We are not in charge of the sales of our catfish produce. The market women traders’ association has monopolised the sales,” he said.
According to him, farmers are barred from selling raw catfish directly in open markets and are limited to processed fish sales.
“Our members are fish farmers, not fish marketers, and we are not allowed to sell in the market. The only sales we can do as fish farmers is to sell processed fish. It has been a running battle between the farmers and the marketers for years,” Fajimi added.
He said the arrangement has significantly affected the financial returns of farmers despite the high cost of production.
“The sales of our produce and the factors that determine the price are not in our hands. It is affecting the profitability of farmers’ efforts. We want government intervention because we do not have control over the sector,” he said.
Fajimi argued that traders, who serve as intermediaries, buy directly from farmers and resell at higher prices, thereby controlling market rates.
“These traders as middlemen can buy from us and resell, and that is why they have monopoly over pricing and are pricing us down,” he said.
He disclosed that LASCAFAN had initiated a home sales programme toward the end of last year, creating community-based sales points to enable farmers sell within their localities.
However, he alleged that the initiative was disrupted.
“The market women came to disrupt our operations while sales were ongoing. When we reported the issue to the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, nothing came out of it. We were informed that marketers are the ones licensed to sell in the markets,” he said.
Fajimi noted that farmers are permitted to engage off-takers who supply supermarkets, restaurants and hotels, but insisted that direct access to open markets remains restricted.
“We can sell to off-takers, but we are not permitted to sell directly in the markets. That is why the catfish business faces significant marketing challenges,” he said.
The association called on the state government to review existing market regulations to ensure fair pricing mechanisms and improved access for primary producers in the aquaculture value chain.
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