Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya and the Swedish Ambassador Madame Caroline Vicini commissioned a fish processing plant worth Ksh120 million (about EUR 937, 500) in Kakamega County to address challenges that farmers in the Lake Region Economic Block (LREB) region have been facing in marketing their fish.
Speaking during commissioning of the plant at Lutonyi, Kakamega Governor, Wycliffe Oparanya urged farmers to pull up their sleeves in as far as fish production is concerned.“This factory will address the challenges fish farmers have had in marketing their products,” he said
LREB comprises of 14 Counties, namely; Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Vihiga, Nandi, Bomet, Kericho, Nyamira, Kisii, Migori, Homabay, Kisumu and Siaya.
Madam Caroline Vicini who was the Chief Guest during commissioning of the plant, said that the European Union (EU) has a stringent criteria on its importations especially on foodstuffs. “I am delighted that the Kakamega Fish Processing Plant meets the required standards of exports to the EU.”
Kakamega County has 6, 976 farmers with a total of 9, 988 fish ponds with a potential to produce a total of 1, 798 metric tonnes of fish in a seven month production cycle. This tonnage translates to Ksh539 million (about EUR 4.2 million).
