Fish Farming: Nigeria Hits Goldmine In Scandinavian
OpenLife Nigeria has gathered that as the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has expressed concern over the absence of off-takers for fishery farmers in Nigeria, the Norwegian Customs has said that fishes can now be imported into Norway from Nigeria at zero duty provided the products meet its standard and quality in terms of chemical used during the breeding process and packaging.
Exporters of Nigerian farmed fishes can only enjoy the zero duty rate the moment the ban on such fishes are lifted by the European Union.
Norwegian exports to Nigeria recorded a total of $1.2billion for 2021 while $25million is recorded as Nigerian export to Norway.This was contained in a presentation at the just concluded training programme for stakeholders in the Nigerian fishery sector, by the Norwegian Seafood Council in Lagos where Baard Nenseter, Special audit enforcement officer of the Norwegian Customs said imports of fishery products from Nigeria and other countries are subject to official certification.
Speaking at the recently concluded training for Nigerian fish exporters and importers organized by the Norwegian Seafood Council in Lagos, Mr. Samson Alatise of the Development Finance Department of CBN said that the absence of under takers is stalling the Bank’s intervention in the aquaculture Anchor Borrowers’ initiative. He added that the apex Bank is prepared and willing to assist the growth of the fishery sector in Nigeria if there are willing anchor that will take up the farmed fishes from the farmers.
Alatise explained that there are quite a large number of fish farmers in Lagos and its environ adding that a Committee has also been set up to look into this issue of absence of an undertaker.
He also sad that the development is limiting the Bank’s participation in funding the aquaculture of ‘Cat’ and ‘Tilapia’ fishes.
He stated: ‘‘We are keen on funding aquaculture; the issue is that there is no viable anchor and this has limited the CBN’s participation in terms of growing the fishery sector.
“The CBN want to see how it can be assisted to overcome the issue of non-availability of anchor.”
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