Mizoram government to increase fish production

Aizawl, Sep 22 (UNI) The Centrally sponsored scheme on technology mission for the development of fish farms in Mizoram has fixed an outlay of more than five crores.

Officials from the fisheries department informed here today that about ten fish seed farms would be constructed across the state at the cost of 5.28 crore in Mizoram.

With an outlay of Rs ten lakh for working capital under the scheme, the target was to produce around 50 lakh of seeds (fry) from the fish seed farms during the current fiscal.

Apart from this, during the annual plan 2006-2007, it is also targeted to produce another 80 lakh of fry through wild breeding, which is the technical term for fish seed farms maintained by the private sector.

The Department would contemplate the development of fish farming by renovating of 330 hectares of existing fish ponds under Fish Farmers Development Agency and another 120 hectares for construction and renovation of ponds under Bamboo Flowering and Famine Combat Scheme (BAFFACOS), the officials said adding that this is expected to hoist the fish production level to 2500 MT per.

A pilot project of giant fresh water prawn farming and polyculture was also taken up in 12 selected plots in collaboration with Central Inland Fishery Institute, Mumbai, the officials pointed out.

They also informed that 357 lakhs fingerlings were distributed to fish farmers at 100 per cent subsidy and 200 lakhs fish seeds along with fish feed was targeted to be distributed to fish farmers under a North East Council (NEC) scheme, he added.

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