FARMERS’ DIARIES

FISH

Morena Khashane, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape

e are a tilapia outgrower farm based in Port Alfred. Production is ongoing and we have fish of various sizes and ages at any given time. Currently we stock up every month, buying fingerlings from Rivendell Hatchery in Grahamstown. We produce 20t to 30t of fish a month, but we aim to produce 100t a month by midyear. The fingerlings arrive on the farm weighing between 15g and 20g and are put on 1mm starter pellets while they’re in the nursery tanks for at least two months. You must feed tilapia at least about 4% of their body weight. We feed them this specialised feed at least three times a day. After three or four months, when they weigh between 100g and 150g, the fish are moved to grower tanks, where they’re put on 3mm grower pellets. After