Fish Farming in India: A Profitable Enterprise to Start

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Why Farmers are Increasingly Adopting Fish Farming in India?
• Basic Requirements to Start Fish Farming
• How to Start Fish Farming Business in India?
  • Conduct Market Research
  • Select Right Location
  • Select the Right Fish Variety
  • Constructing the Fish Farm
  • Sourcing Quality Seed and Feed
  • Monitoring and Management of Fish Farms
  • Harvesting of Fish
• Challenges in Fish Farming in India

Introduction

Fish farming is the practice of commercially growing fish for profits. It is one of the oldest occupations in India and is one of the surest ways to enhance the livelihood and income of poor farmers.

The launch of Blue Revolution in the country brought a paradigmatic shift in the fish farming. Many small and poor farmers attracted by high profits possibility have adopted fish farming in combination with growing crops on their farmland.

Today, India is the third largest producer of fish, second largest of aquaculture and largest producer of shrimps in the world. The contribution of India in the global fish production is around 7.56%. Furthermore, there has been shift from marine dominated fisheries to inland fisheries.

As a result, inland fish production contributes more than 70% of the total fish production and culture-based farming, especially pond fish farming, is more prevalent in the country today.

Why Farmers are Increasingly Adopting Fish Farming in India?

Increasingly farmers in India, especially marginal and small farmers, are adopting fish farming as it is highly remunerative. The benefit to cost ratio of fish farming ranges between 1.7 to 1.9, which is one of the highest among all profitable livestock business in India. Following are the reasons for increasing adoption:

• Diminishing land for food crops has necessitated adoption of fish farming as an alternative source of livelihood.
•  Fish is the least expensive source of animal protein, amino acids and fatty acids.
• Availability of large networks of pond and tanks in the country.
• Acceptance of Indian fish and fish products in the international market.
• Higher growth rates in aquaculture.
• Government support and programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

What are the Basic Requirements to Start Fish Farming?

Starting fish farming may seem to be challenging task as it involves lot of hard work and arrangements to be made. But the first things, which you need to start fish farming are:

• A piece of land where a pond can be constructed or a pond with suitable water to keep cages or establish pen.
• Baby fish to begin with and feed for the fishes being reared.
• Registration of Certificate and Fishing License from the respective State’s Department of Fisheries.

How to Start a Fish Farming Business in India?

Starting a fish farming business for successful and bountiful production of fish meanders through a series of steps. Let us see what are those steps.

Conduct Market Research

Before starting any agri-business, thorough market research is required to know

• Market demand in your area for the fish in general.
• Fish species mostly consumed in your area and at the same time profitable to rear.
• Cost of constructing a pen or establishing a cage, depending upon the type of water source.
• Extent of government subsidies provided on starting a fish farm.
• Presence of any extension of government to provide training such as Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
• Requirement for a license for starting a fish farm in your area.

Select Right Location

Selecting the right location to start a fish farm is most critical. While selecting a location, you should ensure that

• Land is available with a gentle slope
• Enough and good water is available at all times
• Quality of soil is amicable to fish farming, that is, it holds water well.
• Climate and soil type are suitable for selected fish species.
• Location is in close proximity to your home.

Select the Right Fish Variety

In India commercial pond culture for growing fish is prevalent; thus, while selecting the right fish species for rearing in India, you must look at few criteria as given below:

• Species must be adaptable to undrained environment of pond.
• They exhibit a faster growth rate in ponds.
• They are efficient utilisers of natural food resources and efficient converter of artificial feed.
• They are hardy and resistance to any form of disease.
• They are easy to breed and have multiple breeding frequency or prolonged breeding period.
• They are compatible with other species of fishes.
• They have a high market demand and command high price.

So, depending upon your requirements, you can select the right species of fish to rear. In India, usually Catla, Rohu and Mrigala are popular among farmers and new aquapreneurs.

With the government providing support for saline water fisheries in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, the Pungas fish species are also becoming popular to rear.

Constructing the Fish Farm

Designing a fish farm takes lot of investment and effort. But if you know the optimum size of farm that could ensure optimum production of fish, then it is good. As per the FAO, following dimension are better for fish farming in pond:

• Minimum size of pond mist be 300 square meters.
• The shape should be either rectangular or square.
• The pond must be shallow having a water depth from 60 cm to 90 cm.
• Must have better and simple inlets and outlets for water.
• The banks of the ponds must be 50 cm higher than the top layer of water.
• The banks must have good slopes on sides and wall must be tightly packed with soil.

Besides, you should also look for any subsidy provided by the government. For instance, government provides subsidy in the 40 – 60% range on various items under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Sourcing Quality Seed and Feed

Sourcing healthy and quality seed (juvenile fish) is critical for the proper growth of fish. Do ensure that you procure the fish seed from a certified government agency or nursery and the seeds are in alignment with your chosen fish species.

Providing required feed at regular interval ensures that fish keeps on getting essential nutrients and grow healthy. Besides, healthy feed also increases their ability to reproduce quality seeds.

Essentially three types of fish feeds are given to fishes. These are:

• Natural feed: worms, insects, aquatic plants, etc.
• Supplementary feed: agricultural by-products, kitchen wastes, etc
• Complete feed: mixture of carefully selected ingredients to provide all the essential nutrients

Monitoring and Management of Fish Farms

Regular inspection and monitoring of water quality, pond and fish help identify any disease outbreak and prevent any significant damage to fish growth. Besides, implementing the biosecurity measure such as controlling predators effectively is essential.

Harvesting of Fish

Harvesting fish requires extreme caution. While harvesting you must keep following points in mind:

• Do not harvest before 5 months. Post-this, you can harvest few big fishes and then all by the end of 6 months.
• Always harvest the fish by draining or partially draining the water out of pond or use a seine net measuring 3 – 3.5 cm.
• Remember to harvest the fish early in the morning when it is cool.
• After harvesting fish, store them in a watertight container.
• Harvest the fish at different times and not at a time if you are harvesting all the fish. Only harvest what can be sold in a day.

What are the Challenges in Fish Farming in India?

• Use of traditional methods of fish culture and harvesting.
• Poor access to quality feed & seed, poor processing facility and poor access to credits.
• Lack of knowledge among farmers about government policies and subsidies.
• Inadequate and poor infrastructure.
• Lack of diversity in culture of fish species.
• Lower productivity due to incidences of diseases.

Amidst these challenges, the multi-dimensional role of KVKs is critical in nurturing of aquaculture and aquapreneurs, promoting of fish farming among poor and creating awareness.