Fish cultivation in cages brings solvency to Mohadevpur farmers

NAOGAON, Jan 15: Fish farming in cage has brought financial solvency amid hundreds of farmers under Mohadebpur upazila of Naogaon district from last few years with assistance of local fisheries department.

According to Fisheries Department (FD) source the authority concern had set up some 10 cages for fish farming in Atrai River on 2016 in an experiential basis for the eager farmers and made a noticeable success on the following year.

Getting a lucrative profit, the farmers are increasing the fish farming every year as its cultivation has proved more profitable investing capital under Union Based Fish Cultivation and Service Extension Project (UBFCSE), FD added.

"I have invested Tk 0.25 million in my 10 cages in Atrai River and expecting Tk 0.1 million as profit in this current season," said farmer Kazi Nazmul, 33, son of Kazi Abdul Barek at Kalonipara village under Mohadebpur upazila of Naogaon.

The farm owner are mostly growing monosex and telapia fish but they can grow Rajputi, carp and other profitable fish species on a large scale if they intend to expand the enterprise. The farmers can grow the fish item without taking lease ponds or waterbody as they are using the river space free in cost.

Besides, the fish of cage is more restful compare to pond produced one, said customer Altaf Hossain, a headmaster of government primary school of the upazila . He also said, the demand of the fish item is increasing gradually elsewhere the country crossing district markets.

Meanwhile, a good number of poor and marginal fish farm owners of the region have become financially self-reliant growing the fish in the cage under the upazila of the district as government has disbursed Tk 0.2 million among the farmers to render the enterprise.

Farmers can grow over 300 kgs of fresh fish from 500 pieces of trout from a cage, said Asikur Rahman Lemon, 32, son of Muklesur Rahman at Kolonipara village under the upazila. He invested Tk 5 lakh in his 25 cages and expecting Tk 4 lakh as profit in this season.

Senior Upazila Fisheries officer (SFO) Polash Chandra Debnath said, the farmers of the region have shown more interest to grow the fish in cage. We have provided both financial and logistic support among the farmers to boost the fisheries sectors, he added.

[email protected]