Meghalaya to augment fish production

The Meghalaya government will invest Rs 378 crore in fish production for meeting a supply deficit of 15,000 metric tonnes, a senior official said Thursday.

The state has been able to produce 12,000 MT of fish annually against the demand of over 27,000 MT, Agricultural Production Commissioner K N Kumar said.

An investment of Rs 161 crore was made in the first edition of the Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission (MSAM) that had benefited 21,000 persons in 2012, when fish production was only 4,000 MT, he said.

"We will invest Rs 378 crore in the second phase of the Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission for reducing the supply deficit," Kumar said.

He was addressing the inaugural function of the State Level Fish Farmers Conclave 2019 here, which was attended by scientists, scholars, bank and credit representatives besides fish farmers from all the 11 districts of the state.

Kumar also highlighted the need to constitute a Meghalaya Fish Farmers Association since there are now 22,000 fish farmers in the state.

In his address, Fisheries Minister Comingone Ymbon said, the MSAM is aimed at maximization of fish production through technological interventions, creation of more water bodies, making available quality fishseeds besides promoting scientific feeding and improved managerial practices.