How to Buy Catfish in Bulk in Ebonyi State
If you run a restaurant, a hotel kitchen, a catering business or a market stall, catfish is probably one of your most important ingredients. The supplier you choose affects your quality, your costs and how often you are left without stock.
Here is what to look for, and what to ask, before you commit to a bulk supplier.
Live, fresh or frozen?
Live catfish are delivered alive. Catfish can breathe air, so they travel well when kept moist and shaded. Live fish give you the freshest possible product and let you prepare them when you need them.
Fresh catfish are harvested and delivered the same day, ready for immediate use or chilling.
Frozen catfish last longer but lose some texture. They are often older stock, and you cannot easily tell how long they have been stored.
For restaurants and pepper soup spots, live or fresh is almost always the better choice.
Questions to ask any supplier
When was the fish harvested? The answer should be “today” or “on the day you collect”. Fish that have been held for days lose condition.
What size grades do you supply? Table size usually means 1kg and above. Ask whether the supplier can grade by size, so you are not paying the same price for a mix of large and small fish.
Can you supply consistently? Many farms harvest everything at once, then have nothing for months. Ask how often the supplier harvests. A farm that stocks its ponds in staggered cycles can supply you regularly.
How are the fish raised? Ask about the water source, the pond type and whether chemicals or antibiotics are used. A good supplier will answer plainly.
How is the weight confirmed? Fish should be weighed in front of you, or with a record you can check.
What to check when the fish arrive
- Live fish should be active and responsive.
- Fresh fish should have clear eyes, firm flesh and a clean smell.
- The weight should match what you were invoiced.
- Sizes should match the grade you ordered.
How ordering from Udemba Farms works
We raise Clarias and hybrid catfish in natural earthen ponds fed by the Ebonyi River, in Oshiri, Ohaozara. No lime, no chemicals, no antibiotics and no treatments go into our ponds. You can read why in Nothing in Our Ponds but Fish.
- Tell us what you need: quantity, size and when you need it.
- We confirm availability and price within 24 hours.
- We harvest to order. Your fish leave the pond for your order, not from storage.
- Collection or delivery is agreed when you order.
We supply two size grades: table size (1kg and above) and smoke size (under 1kg). We supply restaurants, hotels, caterers and market traders across Ebonyi State and beyond, and we welcome regular bulk orders.
Need a dependable catfish supplier?