Taking a step forward to realize its target of achieving self-sufficiency in fish production, Manipur government is going to set up fish feed manufacturing units in the state.

Manipur requires 52,000 metric tonnes of fish to be self sufficient against the 32,000 metric tonnes of fish produced by the state in a year. The state has set a target to discontinue import of fish from outside by 2022.

Various initiatives have been taken up to achieve the target, state additional chief secretary (fisheries) MH Khan said on Tuesday while announcing that a mill for manufacturing fish feed will be bought by the state government. The mill with a capacity of producing 170 kilogram of fish feed per hour will be installed by March 2019, hesaid. 

The mill is to be installed in line with government’s target of Manipur achieving self-sufficiency in fish production by 2022 and to boost the fish farmers of the state in enhancing fish production, MH Khan said. The raw material for manufacturing the feed will be bought from the farmers of the state under a policy of the state fisheries department. The department has already made necessary arrangement to give loan to 2500 farmers to produce the raw materials.

State agriculture department will be responsible for providing and selecting the loan to the farmers. The agriculture department will encourage farmers in cultivating maize and other crops which will be used in manufacturing the fish feed, he added. The state farmers are currently producing around 32,000 metric tonnes of fish in a year which is 40% short of the demand, said the additional chief secretary.

Source: Nagaland Post  //  Original Article