FREQUENCY OF CULTURED CATFISH CONSUMPTION AND REASONS IN WUKARI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, TARABA STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the frequency of cultured catfish consumption and reasons in Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select five wards within Wukari township in the Local Government Area, and forty respondents (40) from each of the five selected wards to give a total sample size of two hundred (200). Structured questionnaire and scheduled interview were used to obtain data from the respondents. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used for data analysis at P<0.05. Results indicated that majority (56.5%) of the respondents were male, 53.5% were single, 38% were between the ages of 25-30 years, house hold size of 5 and above were 52%, tertiary education attained was 46.0% while 71.5% have been on their jobs 1-10 years and 14% earned ₦50,000 and above. Only 26.5% consumed cultured catfish monthly, 24.5% consumed weekly and 28.5% rarely consume cultured Catfish while tastes 78.0% and flavour 54.0% were major reasons for consumption. Significant association existed between the socio-economic characteristics (year on the job p<0.05) and reasons for consumption of cultured catfish. The study recommended that awareness and health talk on health benefits of farmed catfish be emphasized to all categories of the inhabitants of the study area.