Though fish might not be in the diet of the people of Hryana, aquaculture seems to have proved a boon for the farmers in the State, particularly in the areas affected by waterlogging.
Around 22,500 farmers in the State have taken to fish farming and are getting better remuneration, officials said here, adding that Haryana is at the top position among inland states in the country with fish production of 11,000 kilograms per hectare.
Officials of Fisheries Directorate Haryana, said a multi-pronged strategy has been adopted by the State Government to increase production of fish and lay emphasis on diversification of fish farming from traditional carp fish culture to ornamental fish culture. Fish farmers in Haryana, who used to earn a profit around Rs 3 lakh per hectare per annum from fish farming in their water-logged land four years ago, are now earning Rs 7 to 8 lakh per hectare per annum.
PS Malik, Director, Fisheries Haryana said that fish farming has changed the lives of a number of waterlogging affected farmers in the State. Maximum number of farmers should avail the benefit of subsidy being provided under various schemes of the government. After the commissioning of this prestigious project of fisheries, an allied occupation of agriculture, the farmers would become prosperous, he added.
Malik said that a total of 10, 800 hectare areas are fishery cultivation and number of ponds in the villages are 13400 and number of private ponds are 2000 which covered 1840 hectare areas in the state. In 2014-15, the production of fish is 6900 kg per hectare while 6600 in 2015-16, 7200 in 2016-17, 10, 000 in 2017-18 and 11, 000 in 2018-19, he said, adding, to generate income from zero earning waste lands and utilize saline affected lands of the state, fisheries department encourages farmers to opt fish farming by giving them subsidy and incentives. The Government is providing subsidy on the aerators to farmers to install aerators units to increase the oxygen ratio in summer in order to save fish which usually dies due to insufficient oxygen. Government also provides subsidiary upto 40 per cent to farmers while 60 per cent to woman and people belonging to SC.
There is considerable area, which is water logged and not much agriculture activities are being undertaken for fish farming. For better utilisation of these land pockets and providing adequate income to the farmers having such kind of lands, the department promotes fish farming there. To generate income from zero earning waste lands and utilize 20, 000 hectare saline affected lands of the state, the government is also promoting fish farming in Jind, Sirsa, Bhiwani, Gurugram, Rohtak, Jhajhar, Fatehbad and Sonipat.
Farmer Dupendra Choudhary who visited the fisheries directorate said, “Our village is waterlogging affected from the past about two decades. Now, fish farming has proved a boon for people like us. The Government has given subsidy to promote fish farming and as a result a number of farmers adopted this profession. Now, we people are getting good profit from even infertile land.” He further said, “Now, I have a fish pond in nearly 2 acres and getting a net profit of about Rs 6 lakh per acre per annum.” Another farmer said that he started fish farming on 2 acres by developing it into a pond a few years back. Now, on an average he earns Rs 5 lakh per hectare per annum from it by incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 50,000 only.
A department officer said that training of farmers is very important. Farmers who are adopting fishery business can get five days free training every month at the training centre. Factors responsible for low fish production are lack of information, poor fisheries extension services, feed adulteration, low water quality, high construction cost and non-availability of irrigation. Farmers are being given training from time to time to increase their production and increase their income. Farmers belonging to scheduled caste are being paid Rs 100 per day to attend 10 days’ training programme at the centre, he added.