Kisumu fish traders get cold storage facility
Some 400 traders in Kisumu are set to benefit from a Sh10 million fish cold storage facility at the Jubilee fresh fish market.
The facility will help cushion fishmongers from post-harvest losses.
Apart from serving fish traders, it will also be an aggregation centre for fish, providing a ready market for fish farmers, and as a point of sale for fish in Kisumu County.
The facility has a capacity of about five tonnes, capable of accommodating fresh fish from the county and across the lake region, positioning Kisumu as a hub for the blue economy and trade.
Speaking during the commissioning of the facility, Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o said it will help fish traders cut post-harvest losses.
30 per cent losses
Some 25-30 percent of fish is lost due to poor post-harvest management and lack of cold chain systems and harvesting ice flakes.
"This cold facility will ensure food safety through proper handling and storage of fish. It will improve farmers’ productivity through avoidance of post-harvest losses, thus improving their income," said Prof Nyong'o.
Cage and pond fish farmers are expected to supply at least 20 percent of the projected demanded fish.
"We are encouraging more farmers to get into fish farming due to the existence of a ready market for the fish,” he said.
Reduced post-harvest losses will translate into improved income for the farmers and traders.
The facility handles 16 tonnes of fish monthly with a market value of Sh18 million. This translates to an annual turnover of Sh216 million.
But at the optimum level, it is envisaged to handle up to 70 tonnes of fish.
To sustain the gains, the county, in partnership with the national government under the Aquaculture Business Development Programme, is putting up a 10-tonne fresh fish cooling and storage facility and ice-making equipment at the market. BY DAILY NATION

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