Shoban (right) with Sserwambala looking at the processed feeds ready for marketing. Photos by Arnest Tumwesige
By Arnest Tumwesige
A growing demand for fish feeds in Luwero district is attracting private investment and exposing gaps in local production capacity, presenting new opportunities for agro-industrial expansion.
Tapping into this opportunity so far is Signature Foods Ltd a company producing Silver Fin Fish Feeds. The plant, located in Kiwumpa village, Kigombe parish in Luwero Sub-county, has a production capacity of 11 tons within 24 hours.
However, due to increasing market demand, the company has already initiated plans to expand the factory by the end of the year.
Shoban P. Manjaly, the manager of Signature Foods Ltd, said the facility manufactures floating fish feeds in sizes ranging from 1 to 6 millimeters, formulated to remain on the water surface for easy consumption by fish.
Despite operating in Luwero for about three years, the company has largely focused on supplying markets in Jinja, which it identified as a ready client base at the time of establishment.
“When we ventured into the business, we found that Jinja was the right place for having clients. I have just come to learn that we do have clients in Luwero, but we were not aware of it,” Manjaly told this publication during a visit to the facility.
He noted that as a relatively new company, market penetration is still ongoing, adding that there are deliberate plans to ensure the products become readily available within the local market to improve farmers’ access to quality fish feeds.
County wide Signature Foods through it’s business partner Wingreens Agro Ltd supplies through outlets in Natete, Masaka, Mubende, Jinja and Mawanda.
The Uganda National of Bureau Standards certified feeds can also be bought directly by individual farmers from the processing plant in Luwero.
Local supply chain presents untapped potential
The factory uses maize, soyabean cake, rice and other additives majorly supplied by Wingreens Agro Ltd and some by SR Kuku, another business partner. The remaining inputs are sourced from Kampala.
Manjaly encouraged farmers in Luwero to organize themselves into cooperatives and take advantage of the factory’s presence by supplying raw materials such as maize, rice and soyabean. The facility is equipped with a weighbridge to facilitate bulk supply and proper measurement of produce.
Feed shortage constrains aquaculture growth
According to Simon Peter Sserwambala, the Senior District Fisheries Officer, access to quality fish feeds remains a major constraint affecting the district’s estimated 200 fish farmers.
He expressed optimism that the presence of Signature Foods Ltd, alongside the recent establishment of Backbone Feeds in Nakatunya parish, Nyimbwa Sub-county, will help address the growing demand for fish feeds.
Feed costs in aquaculture vary depending on the growth stage of the fish, which is measured by feed size in millimeters. For example, tilapia fingerlings at 0.5 gram are fed on starter feeds costing approximately UGX 5,000. As the fish grow to 1 gram, the cost of feeds reduces to about UGX 4,000.
The feeds are formulated for progressive growth stages up to 6 millimeters, by which time the fish are typically around eight months old and attain an average weight of at least 700 grams, making them ready for sale.
Farmers seek UGX 300 million for processing line
At Nkonge Integrated Fish Farm in Nkonge village, Bukeeka parish, Katikamu Sub-county, farmers are grappling with inadequate feed processing infrastructure despite previous interventions.
A feed processing machine procured by the district during the 2019/2020 financial year was intended to support farmers in producing their own feeds. However, the equipment only functions as a crusher, limiting its effectiveness.
Kafeero Ivan, chairperson of Katikamu South Fish Farmers SACCO, which brings together about 35 farms, explained that the machine falls short of a complete feed production system.
“The district provided the crusher, but it did not serve the intended purpose. Crushing alone is not enough to produce fish feeds. We still lack essential units for mixing, pelleting, drying and oiling,” he said.
He added that efforts to acquire additional equipment at an individual level have been hindered by financial constraints.
To establish a fully functional feed production line, Kafeero estimates that farmers require approximately UGX 300 million. Once installed, the facility is expected to produce up to 500 kilograms of feeds per day.
The farmers have already developed plans to cultivate maize and soyabean, which account for about 70 percent of the raw materials required in feed production. With support from the district fisheries office, they have also formulated a local feed mix, although there are ongoing plans to acquire a more standardized formulation from experts in Kajjansi, Kampala.
Kajjansi is the Aquaculture Research and Development Centre (ARDC). It is a facility operated by the National Fish Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI), with headquarters in Jinja.
Currently, Kafeero uses the available machine to crush maize and soyabean, then relies on manual methods to mix other inputs. Meanwhile, other farmers continue to depend on purchasing commercial feeds or resort to alternative feeding options such as chicken offal.
