The fodder crop Napier grass is providing new opportunities for freshwater fish farmers, who say it is an easy to grow, low-cost alternative to commercial fish meal.

Farmers in several areas of the province have stopped using conventional fish food and turned to making their own feed using Napier grass (Pak Chong 1 variety) as the main raw material. This has cut feed bills by about 75%.

Chiang Rai Fisheries Provincial Office pioneered developing the new fish food, which consists of chopped high-protein Napier grass, rice husk and concentrated feed in the ratio of 6:4:1. The cost for farmers has plummeted from 26 baht to only 6 baht a kilogramme.

The province has a total of 14,097 fish raisers with a combined farming area of 15,092 rai. The majority of them (67%) raise tilapia and 15% catfish.

Source: Bangkok Post // Original Article