Eighty-five percent of fish farmers in Kitgum District have abandoned their fishponds in recent seasons, as the high cost of commercial fish feed and prolonged heat make aquaculture economically unviable.
Alfred Omony, the Kitgum District Fisheries Officer, told Favour fm that the escalating cost of fish feed is one of the main reasons many farmers have stopped stocking and managing their ponds.
Records from the district fisheries department show that although more than 80 fish farmers are registered in Kitgum, only 15 are currently active.
A kilogramme of high-quality fish feed now costs about 4,500 shillings, while low-quality feed goes for 3,500 shillings.
Omony explains that although many farmers opt for cheaper, low-quality feed, it takes fish much longer to mature, and they often end up stunted.
Sarah Aber, a fish farmer who started the business in May 2025 with 5,000 fingerlings, says manufactured fish feed is expensive largely because it is not locally produced, accounting for up to 70 percent of production costs.
Sisto Okwera, a fish farmer of 15 years from Ginnery West in Kitgum Municipality, says erratic weather patterns have further disrupted aquaculture in the district.
According to Okwera, water levels in his ponds recede significantly during the dry season, forcing him out of production.
The high cost of fish feed, coupled with climate change, has caused demand for fresh fish in Kitgum Municipality to increasingly outstrip local supply.
As a result, traders and consumers are forced to source fish from outside the district at higher prices. Fishmongers in Kitgum now charge between 15,000 and 20,000 shillings per kilogramme of fresh tilapia and catfish, driven by reliance on costly deliveries from Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga.
Leave a Reply