Imphal fish fair attracts large consumers

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, November 8, 2018: Manipur fisheries department on Ningol Chakouba eve organised Fish Fair Cum Fish Crop competition as its 39th edition at DM College of Arts ground, Thangmeiband, Imphal.

Tribal affairs and hills minister N. Kayishi launched the fair.

He expressed on the needs of developing the fish cultivation in proper way to make Manipur state to recognize as one of the popular fish production state in the North-East region as well as in the country.

For this, he said, the farmers need proper training with latest technology and the fishery department needs to share the highest technical know-how knowledge. This will help solve problems of poverty and unemployment.

The requirement of fish for our state is 52 metric tons, however, only 32 metric tons are produced in the state, the remaining 20 metric tons is of the fish are imported from outside Manipur, said the minister.

As the state government has taken up initiative to increase fish production, Manipur will be self reliant in fish production by the year 2022, the minister added.

“Chief minster and I have been trying at the best level to make Manipur state a highest fish production state by increasing the fish farming activities and also one of the resourceful states in the country,” the minister said.

He said if the fish farming activities are expanded in the hill areas apart from concentrating it in the valley areas, fish can be produced in large scale.
The minister greeted the women of the state on the eve of Ningol Chakouba.

Director of Fisheries Bindyarani Ayekpam said, the present government has given strict instruction to meet the gap of 20 metric tons of fish demands in our state and doubling of farmer’s income by the year 2022, the department is trying its best level to achieve self-sufficiency in fish production in the state by the year 2020.

The department targets to train some master trainers among the employees of the department including some well trained farmers who have good knowledge on the fish production. For this Central University of Agriculture, Imphal has been appointed as technical advisor, she added.

Bindyarani Ayekpam said, apart from traditional fish farming methods, the department main for advance methods of fish farming using good seeds of fish.

The department plans to increase the cultivable areas under various schemes, reclaims of ponds which have been covered by biomass and grasses and also to set up a fish feeds mill that can produce 450 kg to 500 kg per hour under the initiative of state government, she added.

Bindyarani Ayekpam also said, one of the important issue faced by the state in fish productivity is harvesting of fish during the clone season or breeding season by the farmers, however, if the fish are left undisturbed during the breeding season, the production of fish can be increased or dpubled.

The main focus of the department is the capacity building of the farmers for this year, Bindyarani Ayekpam asserts.
Fish farmers from different parts of the state participated in the event where indigenous fish varieties including Pengba, Ngaton and Khabak were displayed.

With a target of 90,000 Kgs of fish production in the fair locally produced fish were exhibited. Catla and Grass Carp were sold at the range of Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 5kg per kg, Rohu and Mirgal at Rs. 200 – Rs. 260 per kg, Common Carp at Rs. 180 and Rs. 260 per kg, Silver Carp at Rs. 150 – Rs. 180 per kg.

Indigenous fish, Pengba and Khabak were sold at the range of Rs. 500 to Rs. 700 per kg while Ngaton was sold at Rs. 500.

About 90 stalls were accommodated to the fish farmers during the fair.
Vehicles utilized for transportation of fishes to the venue were also provided by the department free of cost.

Lamjingba Agro, a unit of Lamjingba Group also organised 1st Ningol Chakouba Nga Mela 2018 at Tiddim ground.

Around 60 stalls were opened by local farmers.