Investment Opportunities for Fish Farming in Ghana
There are very large investment opportunities in the fish farming industry, such as the production of fish feed, the raising and stocking of high-quality fingerlings, and the training and capacity building of the fish farming industry.
Ghana currently monopolizes the market for fish feed production, but the introduction of another feed mill will promote competitive pricing of fish feed. At present, as one of the largest feed factories in Ghana, the output of Raanan Feed Company accounts for 70% of the total output. Some farmers may choose to import fish feed, but it is estimated that after deduction of import taxes and other expenses, feed costs will increase by 30%.
In order to help the development of the aquaculture industry, private hatcheries have increased, but there is still a gap of 50 million fingerlings every year. The inadequate supply of fingerlings limits the number of potential farmers in Ghana and further leads existing farmers to resort to unwanted fingerlings for reproduction. The market needs a reliable hatchery that can produce high-quality fry and fingerlings.
Young people in the entire industrial chain need training and education; New fish farming methods, techniques, harvesting, drainage tanks, stocking cages and ponds, and fish farm maintenance are key industry skill requirements.
Buy a Fish Feed Extruder for Fish Feed Making
With a floating fish feed extruder, you can use cheap local raw materials to produce high-quality feed and reduce feed costs.
The main processes for producing floating fish feed include grinding, mixing, extrusion, and drying. Although the initial capital expenditure equipment may be intimidating, the machine will pay for itself in the first year to save costs, increase production and improve feed quality. Therefore, it is wise to invest in a fish feed processing line in order to have a sustainable and long-term business. Floating feed pellets are more cost-effective and can improve feed quality and increase farmers’ profits. You can also produce commercial feed and then resell it to other fish farmers.
Fish Feed Extrusion Process
Commercial fish feed extrusion process refers to cooked fish feed mixture under high temperature, moisture and high pressure in a short time by fish feed extruder, where high temperature is friction (dry extrusion) or pretreatment and steam injection ( Direct result of wet extrusion).
Extrusion is a process that can process various fish feed materials, such as soybeans, corn, rice, peas, and high-moisture materials. According to the water content of raw material treatment, fish feed extrusion process can be divided into dry extrusion and wet extrusion.
Dry extrusion process: In the extrusion process, the heat generated by friction is used to heat the material, forcing the material through the die hole, and at the same time to obtain a certain pressure under the action of screw extrusion. After extruding the die hole, the pressure of the material drops sharply, and the water evaporates, so as to achieve the purpose of extrusion. Throughout the process, the moisture content has been around 15%-20%.
Wet extrusion process: The principle is similar to dry extrusion, but since the temperature of the material depends on the addition of steam, it is necessary to add moisture and steam to make the moisture reach 20% or even 30%.
Advantages of Floating Fish Feed
Floating fish feed has good stability in water and does not dissolve in two hours. The floating time of high-quality floating fish feed can be as long as 12 hours, which can avoid the loss of nutrients in the water or sink into mud and waste.
Floating fish feed can save 10%-20% of raw materials than sinking fish feed. Even the remaining part of the feed can be picked up and dried, which can highly control the waste of feed. Floating fish feed is easy to observe and control, reducing or avoiding contamination of water bodies with powder and residual bait, which is very beneficial to environmental protection and fish growth.
The Principal Ingredients of the Floating Fish Feed:
- Fish meal (available in the market from cattle feed shops, Fisheries Deptt.,Fisheries co-operatives)
- vitamins and minerals (same as given to humans)
- Vegetable proteins and oil ingredients: Wheat gluten, Lupin meal, soys protein, vegetable oil (cotton seed, soya or sunflower)
- Wheat flour (refined) as a carbohjydrate and binder
- There are various vegetable proteins such as ground oil cake, Soya cake etc. Select the best.