While still in school, Iqbal Abdallah learnt that lobsters flourish in saltwater because it promotes spawning and fertilization.
Armed with this knowledge, he proposed the new idea of selling live lobsters directly from the farm, which transformed the local market.
However, the road ahead was not without hurdles as many skeptics deemed Iqbal’s initiative foolish, owing to the expensive price and perilous technique of harvesting lobster eggs from deep-sea reefs.
However, Iqbal and his business partner were undeterred.
They carefully fostered the young lobsters, feeding them bloodworms and tubifex worms.
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Iqbal’s passion and tenacity quickly piqued the interest of the Chinese professionals who had trained him.
They were impressed with his development and offered him another boat, as well as becoming the first clients of his live lobster venture.
This collaboration provided access to important markets, including five-star hotels in Kenya and foreign markets.
Iqbal and his partner’s business has grown tremendously over the years as they now own four boats and maintain ten cages on their sea farm.
While their adventure has been financially beneficial, Iqbal insists that lobster farming is not for the faint of heart.
“Starting is pricey; you may need at least Ksh 650,000. We are lucky that we received assistance from folks who believed in us and have been partners ever since,” he continues.
However, the returns are as impressive. Unlike other fishermen, who sell dead lobsters for about Ksh 700 per kilogram, Iqbal and his partner charge Ksh 5,000 per kilogram for live lobsters.
