The Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Elizabeth Afoley Quaye has said her Ministry is investigating claims that some Chinese engaged in fish farming in the country are using steroids to produce tilapia.

“At the moment, the Water and Research Institute is testing the fish to find if there is any presence of steroids at all, and also to establish the genetic makeup of the fish itself and so they are in the lab working on it,” she told host of Morning Starr Francis Abban Tuesday.

She added, “We haven’t established yet that there is the presence of steroid in the fish. So we cannot say for sure that the farmers are using steroids to produce the fish.”

Concerns have been raised after it was uncovered that the tilapia being produced by the Chinese mature in relatively shorter period compared to the species produced locally, and that may affect quality.

But the Minister disagreed saying “there is always improvement in agriculture. There is always research being done. There is always an improvement in our production.

“So what it means is that it is possible that fish that was hitherto produced in six-month could be produced in three-month. It is also possible. So that would not definitely mean that there is a compromise on quality. No. I don’t think so.”