Dhaka to join hands with Delhi to raise fish output
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Syful Islam
Bangladesh is set to collaborate with India for development of fisheries and aquaculture in a bid to increase fish production to meet its rising demand, officials said. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed between the fisheries ministries of both the countries soon in this connection, they added. "We are going to sign MoU with India for scientific cooperation to exchange both germplasm and technical knowledge for the greater benefit of two countries in fisheries and aquaculture sectors," director general of department of fisheries Mahbubur Rahman told the FE Monday. He said, "We are planning to get famous Jayanti Rohu from India, developed in Andhra Pradesh through advanced research, which will help us to raise our carp fish production." The Jayanti Rohu fish grows almost double compared to the local species of Ruhi fish. "It's a faster growing carp species than the Chinese and Thai carps we produce," Mr Rahman added. The yearly fish production in Bangladesh now stands at 2.9 million tonnes against the demand of 3.3 million tonnes. Of the total production nearly 10 per cent is met by Hilsa fish. Carp fishes, Tilapia, Pangas and other small fishes meet rest of the demand. Mr Rahman said Tilapia and Pangas fishes are taking over the place of carp fishes since their output is higher than the latter and those are cheaper to the consumers. "We want to raise the production of carp fishes through exchange of germplasm with India." According to the draft of the proposed MoU, Bangladesh will provide India with scientific and technical assistances for small fish production in ponds, breeding and conservation for improved nutrition, brood stock management, selective breeding and mono-sex production for Tilapia, and breeding and management of Pangas. On the other hand, Bangladesh will get scientific and technical assistances for cryopreservation, shrimp domestication and production technologies. Under the germplasm exchange programme India will give Bangladesh Jayanti Rohu and improved M. rosenbergii lines. In exchange, Bangladesh will provide India GIFT strains, red Tilapia strains, genetically improved Thai silver barb, riverine carp stocks and improved strains of Thai Koi (A. testudienius). Besides, the two countries will jointly work on the culture, breeding and conservation of Hilsa throughout South Asia.
Bangladesh is set to collaborate with India for development of fisheries and aquaculture in a bid to increase fish production to meet its rising demand, officials said. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed between the fisheries ministries of both the countries soon in this connection, they added. "We are going to sign MoU with India for scientific cooperation to exchange both germplasm and technical knowledge for the greater benefit of two countries in fisheries and aquaculture sectors," director general of department of fisheries Mahbubur Rahman told the FE Monday. He said, "We are planning to get famous Jayanti Rohu from India, developed in Andhra Pradesh through advanced research, which will help us to raise our carp fish production." The Jayanti Rohu fish grows almost double compared to the local species of Ruhi fish. "It's a faster growing carp species than the Chinese and Thai carps we produce," Mr Rahman added. The yearly fish production in Bangladesh now stands at 2.9 million tonnes against the demand of 3.3 million tonnes. Of the total production nearly 10 per cent is met by Hilsa fish. Carp fishes, Tilapia, Pangas and other small fishes meet rest of the demand. Mr Rahman said Tilapia and Pangas fishes are taking over the place of carp fishes since their output is higher than the latter and those are cheaper to the consumers. "We want to raise the production of carp fishes through exchange of germplasm with India." According to the draft of the proposed MoU, Bangladesh will provide India with scientific and technical assistances for small fish production in ponds, breeding and conservation for improved nutrition, brood stock management, selective breeding and mono-sex production for Tilapia, and breeding and management of Pangas. On the other hand, Bangladesh will get scientific and technical assistances for cryopreservation, shrimp domestication and production technologies. Under the germplasm exchange programme India will give Bangladesh Jayanti Rohu and improved M. rosenbergii lines. In exchange, Bangladesh will provide India GIFT strains, red Tilapia strains, genetically improved Thai silver barb, riverine carp stocks and improved strains of Thai Koi (A. testudienius). Besides, the two countries will jointly work on the culture, breeding and conservation of Hilsa throughout South Asia.