EFFECTS OF INSECT INFESTATION ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF SMOKED FISH IN SOME SELECTED MARKET IN BIU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The effects of insects’ infestation on the economic value of smoked fish were assessed, which aim at ascertaining the impacts of insects on the value of smoked fish. The sampling technique used was structured questionnaire to obtain information on socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents and economic loss encountered. Smoked fishes were bought from 3 markets, and checked in the laboratory for identification of insect pests. Results revealed that age bracket of 41-50 were the highest 36(30%) respondents, men dominate smoked fish business and married men and women were also discovered to be higher with 86(71.67%). Majority [64(53.3%)] of the respondents were secondary lever. The household size of 1-5 and Islam were the highest among the respondents with 54(45%) and 93(77.5%) respectively. The results also revealed that small scale seller (43.4%) were more and majority of the fishmongers spent between 1-10 years in the business, and about 39(32.5%) of the respondents believed that local processing techniques was responsible for fish infestation by insects. Majority [84(70%)] of the respondents provided labour for themselves and Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus were the major fish market by the respondents. Generally, Oreochromis niloticus was mostly affected by insect infestation. Higher percentage [44(37%)] of the respondents made >#50, 000 as a profit per month and poor marketing was the major challenges encounters by the fishmongers. The major lost encountered by the respondents was Lack of profit. Two species of insect were identified throughout the period of this study; namely Necrobia rufipes and Dermestes maculatus. But Necrobia rufipes was the most common among the three species of fish at all the three market, with Dermestes maculatus identified only in Schilbe mystus at Mirnga market. Provision of adequate and modern processing facilities by Government will help mitigate the challenges of fish processing.