Bhuban: Fishery business is flourishing in Bhuban NAC and its peripheral areas of Dhenkanal district. More and more youths are taking up pisciculture through biofloc method and making handsome earning, a report said.
Notably, biofloc-based farming system is a new technology for the promotion of intensive fish/ shrimp production in a limited area without significantly increasing the usage of the basic natural resources of water and land.
Fishery in such way has been a lucrative business for many people in Bhuban and its peripheral areas, providing a better livelihood option for them.
These farmers are growing varieties of fishes in limited space or small ponds with encouragement and technical support of the Fisheries department.
The report said scores of youths, who had migrated out of the state from the district had returned to the district after outbreak of the Covid pandemic. They had lost their jobs with imposition of lockdowns and restrictions.
Many of them did not want to go back to their workplaces. They looked for alternative option for earning. The youths took interest in biofloc method of fish farming to be self sufficient. Now, they have become successful.
A number of youths have adopted fish farming at Arbinda Marg, Gadamahampur, Nuasahi, Mahulapal, Ananatapur and Dhalapada.
Besides, some farmers of Laxmidharpur and Mrudanga have made it a profitable business by investing Rs 15 lakh in this farming. Some other farmers in the area are now keen to do this farming. They have applied for the government assistance.
The government has been encouraging fishery and providing Rs 1.5 lakh as financial assistance for pond, and other instruments and buying fingerlings. The government is contributing 60 per cent of subsidy to SHGs (women, SC and ST category) and 40 pc subsidy for male farmers.
Many farmers observed that this method of farming is far better than traditional fish farming in big ponds. A person having small landholding (as small as 150-200 square metre of land) and having either municipal piped water supply or bore well water supply can establish this business with a small investment.
It may be noted here that the state government has been promoting intensive aquaculture through biofloc technology in fisheries so as to provide employment to people during the pandemic and period.
A scheme to this effect provides livelihood support to entrepreneurs, unemployed youth and interested progressive fish farmers to increase fish production in each block of the state. The scheme is most suitable for youths who face unemployment during the pandemic.
Biofloc system is suitable for growing freshwater fish species such as GIFT Tilapia, Magur, Pangasius, Anabas, Common Carp and others depending on local market demands.
In biofloc technology, the waste organic matter in the tank, such as feed waste, is digested using probiotics (helpful bacteria) and carbon source such as molasses and gets converted to fish feed.
Dillip Kumar Sahu of Gadamaharmpur Nuasahi said that he was enthused to do fish farming after watching fishery videos on YouTube.
“Earlier, I was into utensil making and trading. It was difficult to earn from it. Then I started mushroom and fish farming. A fish farmer of Bhadrak has helped me providing technical support. In phases, I have made 10 ponds,” he added.
There is huge profit in biofloc fishing farming. This has created scope of direct and indirect earning for many people. Within three months, fish can be grown and is ready for sale, said Chandan Kumar Mallik, an assistant in a local fish farm.
“Fish farming is making youths self sufficient. The government is encouraging youths to adopt fishery through biofloc with low investment and high gains,” said Sapnalipsa Sahu, assistant block fisheries officer of Bhuban.
PNN
