Abstract:

In aquaculture sector, tilapias are the second-most important farmed finfish worldwide (next to the
cyprinids), with Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), ranking 6th among the most important
cultured species. The world tilapia production (aquaculture and capture in 2015) amounted to 6.4
million tonnes, with an estimated value of USD 9.8 billion, and worldwide trade was valued at
USD 1.8 billion. The species are preferred due to their affordability, good source high quality
protein and micronutrients and tolerance to high-density aquaculture. The top 10 tilapia producers
for 2015 (FAO, 2017b) were: China (1.8 million tonnes), Indonesia (1.1 million tonnes), Egypt
(875 thousand tonnes), Bangladesh (324 thousand tonnes), Viet Nam (283 thousand tonnes), the
Philippines (261 thousand tonnes), Brazil (219 thousand tonnes), Thailand (177 thousand tonnes),
and Colombia (61 thousand tonnes). In Uganda, O. niloticus is the main cultured fish species in
both ponds and cages throughout the country, contributing approximately 74,900 tonnes to total
aquaculture production.