SHILLONG, March 24: With 16,000 metric tonne (MT) of annual fish production, it can be said that Meghalaya is not well-placed, as the demand for fish in the state is 33,000 MT — this paves way for an annual deficit of 17,000 MT. However, a slight increase has been observed lately in the production capacity and there is hope for further growth in supply so as to meet the demand in the state.
This was revealed by Superintendent of Fisheries H Papang during an inaugural programme of the retail fish outlets at Mawngap market under Mawphlang Lyngdohship by local MLA, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, on Thursday.
It may be recalled that 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.
The state had decided to invest Rs 378 crore in the second phase of the MSAM for reducing the supply deficit.
According to the Fisheries Superintendent, the fish production in the state, however, has increased after the launch of Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission in March 2021. “We are hopeful that we will be self-sufficient in fish production in the coming years,” she said. According to her, the state is losing crores of rupees in importing fish.
She emphasised on the need to organise awareness programmes to help the cause, and added that the Fisheries department and the fish farmers must work together vigorously to ensure that fish farming is taken up as a primary occupation.
In his address, Mawphlang MLA Eugeneson Lyngdoh stressed that farmers must be encouraged to take up fish farming.