Fresh fish business is gradually returning to its peak in Maiduguri in Nigeria, following progress made in decimating Boko Haram terrorists and restoration of relative peace across the state.
Hundreds of traders, including wholesalers and retailers, have engaged in the supply of fresh, smoked and dry fish from the fishing communities in Baga where local fishermen supply to the wholesalers in Maiduguri and other major towns and cities in the state.
Our correspondent, who visited the popular Baga Road market, observed large number of young men busy selling varieties of fresh and live fish to prospective buyers and small-scale traders, apart from another section of the youths, and labourers going about different activities to earn a living in the market.
A fish trader at Baga Road market, Isa Mohammed, said the roads linking to the fishing communities were recently reopened by the military and state government as a result of the relative peace that has been restored. “Alhamdulillah, traders are going to the fishing communities to buy in large quantities and bring here to the market,” he said.
Mohammed said, “We now have varieties of fish like small and big catfish, Tilapia, Bonga, among others, that are now available for consumers in the market. The fish are supplied from Baga, others from Dawashi, Alau and Jere.”
Speaking on the prices, Mohammed explained that the prices are high considering some factors and depending on the quantity, “We buy in containers and each container costs between N25, 000 and N40,000 of all the types of fish you want. A big container of fresh catfish is N40,000 and a small container is N25,000.”
“A big-sized fresh catfish costs between N2,000 and N3,000 but the prices are gradually coming down with the increase of traders and availability of fish in the market. The price of fish is high because the fishing activities just commenced, coupled with persistent rainfall in the state.”