Fish production receives big boost in Anantapur district

Anantapur: Fish production is receiving a major boost in the district, thanks to the recent government efforts to promote fish consumption throughout the State by way of expanding the outlets.

Besides the diversion of Krishna river water to the district and filling of irrigation and village tanks and reservoirs and the availability of water resources has turned out to be an added advantage for promotion of pisciculture.

Annual fish production during the past 5 years had increased in Anantapur district from 10,000 metric tonnes to 19,000 tonnes in the financial year 2021-22. Production has doubled during the past 5 years and much of the fish produced was being exported to Odisha and West Bengal States. At least 50 per cent of production goes out of the district and to coastal States of Odisha and West Bengal, according to exporter Ramana Naik.

He told The Hans India that fish is in great demand in West Bengal and compared to the consumption of meat and chicken, fish is consumed in that State on a daily basis by majority of Bengalis on a massive scale. Fish and sweets are the favourite food items of Bengalis.

From 6,900 metric tonnes in 2016-17, fish production has now crossed even 20,000 tonnes in the present concluding year.

The PABR Dam, Penakacherla Dam, hundreds of village and irrigation tanks and canals connecting the main reservoirs gave pisciculture a boom. Different varieties like Kalla, Rohu, Mrigal and Bangaru Teega are being raised in the water bodies. Fish seed supply too doubled from 18.73 lakh in 2017-18 to 40 lakh in 2021-22.

Kulayappa, once a groundnut farmer who switched on to pisiculture, told The Hans India that it is more remunerative to raise fish in ponds than cultivating groundnut or any other crop. He said that it would cost just Rs 5,000 to rear fish in two-and-a-half acres of land. If 5,000 fish seeds are released into a fish pond, the unit produces 4 tonnes of fish. The farmer can earn Rs 5 lakh from the unit and after deducting an expenditure of Rs 1.2 lakh, her will be left with a profit of Rs 3.8 lakh, which is substantial when compared to other crops like groundnut etc.

District Fisheries Officer K Shantha told The Hans India that fish consumption has of late increased due to the special campaign taken by the government to boost fish production and consumption.

Also health awareness among consumers led to the increase in fish consumption. There is increased awareness among people that fish is less harmful than any other food item and that it is free from cholesterol content and that it is highly nutritious. She is urging farmers to take advantage of the schemes launched by the government and go for fish culture instead of being on the losing side in agriculture every year.

Fish Cooperative Societies are being activated in view of increasing demand for fish production. The establishment of more than 50 fish outlets will also create additional demand for fish supply.