The price of gutted fresh tilapia has surged months after the flood caused by the spilling of excess water from the Akosombo hydro dam in the Eastern Region, as observed by the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
The spillage has led to the destruction of tilapia farms and subsequent price increases by value chain actors associated with the farm-to-fork process of tilapia.
Popular tilapia grilled joints in Osu, North Kanashie, Nungua, Lapaz, and East Legon, all in Accra, have experienced about a 100% increase in prices for all sizes of tilapia.
For example, a table-sized tilapia is now selling at GHS 140.00, up from GHS 70.00 post the floods, at the Osu joint.
When questioned about the doubled price, Daavi, a caretaker of the Osu joint, mentioned a decline in the supply side, leading to limited stock and higher costs.
“…Now, two people buy one fish and share compared to months before where they would buy two fishes.”
According to checks by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), farms in Asutsuare, a town along the lake in the Eastern Region, are selling 50 kilograms (kg) of medium-sized tilapia at GHS 2,150.
Jacob Adzikah, CEO of the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, stated that research revealed the price per kilogram of tilapia at the farm gate increased from GHS 31.00 to GHS 41.00 after the spillage from the Akosombo hydro dam.
The research unit of the Chamber of Aquaculture reported a slight price increase of about GHS 10.00 at the farm gate. Adzikah projected that this trend might lead to further increases in the commodity’s price in the coming days. Fish farmers along the Volta Lake reportedly lost fish stocks worth about GHS 58 million due to the spillage.
Adzikah appealed to state agencies, especially the Fisheries Commission, to provide support to affected fish farmers, as none of them had subscribed to aquaculture insurance. The flood displaced an estimated 35,857 residents.
“There are limited aquaculture insurance products in the sector, but many fish farms do not subscribe because they do not appreciate the importance of aquaculture insurance,” Mr Adzikah stated.
“This is a huge concern because if farms appreciate the importance of aquaculture insurance and conforming to best biological practice, it will ensure sustainability in the sector,” he added.
Some fish farms, including China Fujian Fishing Limited, are reconstructing fish cages after losing thousands of fish stock. Maleka Farms is also undertaking repair works and preparing to scale up operations.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Natural Resource Department conducted an on-site exercise to assess the impact of the recent floods on aquaculture farms in Akuse and Asutsuare.
The fact-finding mission aimed to understand the extent of infrastructural damage, losses of livelihood, and make recommendations.
Preliminary outcomes showed that many farmers had extensive infrastructure damage, and thousands of fish were lost or escaped during the floods caused by the Akosombo Dam spillage in October.