CNI News
29 February 2024
Fish farming businesses within the country are facing losses because there has an exorbitant increase in fish feed prices, transportation charges and general expenses reportedly.
Although the price of bran, the main fish feed, used to be over 8,000 per bag, the current price has been 2,000 kyats or so. The cost of fish food is about 40,000 kyats per day and the fish has to be fed from six to ten months so that they can be sold at the market reportedly.
However, because the prices of fish have not gone up, fish farming businesses have been suspended, U San Ngwe, a fish farming businessman from Zalun Township, Ayeyarwady Region, told CNI News.
" All the fish farming businessmen are facing losses. Now there have been many ponds that fish cannot be raised because fish feed price is very high and fish price is very low. The fish price is even lower in Yangon than in rural township areas. In the past, while the price of bran was 8,000 kyats per bag, the price of fish was 3,500 kyats per viss. We made a profit. But now while the price of bran is 20,000 kyats per bag, the price of fish is 4,800 kyats per viss. So, we make a loss. Only when the price of fish is 7,000 kyats per viss, shall we make a profit." he said.
High price of fish feed, lack of capital to invest more and lack of a strong market were main challenges, said fish and prawn farmers. Although domestically raised fish was exported to China and Bangladesh in the past, because of battles currently breaking out in north Shan State and Rakhine State, exporting cannot be conducted anymore reportedly.
While catching fish with a net
So, the fish market has become weak and fish farming businessmen are facing losses and nine of ten fish farmers have suspended their businesses and are growing paddy at the places of fish ponds reportedly .
When the fish production is low in the future because there is a decline in the number of fish farmers, if consuming fish increases, the price of fish may be looking up, Ko Myat Thein Tun, a fish farming businessman from Nyaungdon Township, Ayeyarwady Region, told CNI News.
" The cost for fish feed is 75 percent of all the cost. Production cost for a viss of fish is higher than the price of a viss of fish. So, many fish farmers have suspended fish farming. They are growing paddy at the places of fish ponds because the price of paddy is good. If they are making a profit from growing paddy, they might not farm fish. And then, the price of fish might be higher." he said.
Not only fish farming but also other livestock industries are facing losses because of high production cost and the businessmen are changing to other businesses.
Due to fewer livestock businessmen, the unemployment rate of farm workers also continues to rise and some livestock workers are going abroad for work.
