Ghana is the biggest producer of tilapia in Sub Saharan Africa and its consumers have one of the highest rates of seafood consumption at 26 kilos per capita, particularly of tilapia.

Demand for fish is far higher than the domestic industry can supply, despite a recent surge in the volume produced in aquaculture, and the shortfall is estimated at more than 20,000 metric tons. In-country prices are high for tilapia, with the average retail price for whole round or gutted fish at around $3-$4 (€2.60-€3.50) per kilo.

Until recently, a considerable quantity of Chinese tilapia was reaching the country to meet demand, much of it smuggled in from neighboring Tongo, according to local reports. This led to a widely-publicized government ban on imports in August 2014, which the minster of fisheries and aquaculture hoped would create around 50,000 jobs in the aquaculture sector, particularly for young unemployed people.

Its large presence in the fishing industry means Ghana has the framework for seafood distribution, but there is only one feed manufacturer and limited foreign investment -- a problem the government is working hard to turn around.

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