15-day ban on fish import a boon for local farmers

SHILLONG, June 10: The local fish farmers may have a reason to smile.
They are expected to benefit from the 15-day ban imposed by the state government on the sale of imported fish.
The Department of Fisheries has written to all Superintendents of Fisheries to ensure arrangements for the sale of local fish varieties in the markets.
All districts have been asked to work out an arrangement for the supply of local fish to Shillong and Tura. The report on the sale of fish is to be submitted to the department on a weekly basis.
The authorities had imposed the ban on the sale of imported fish after detecting the presence of formalin in samples collected from markets. The samples also tested positive for serious fungal and bacterial contamination.
The Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission was launched years ago with an aim to make the state self-sufficient in fish production.
However, the state still largely depends on imported fish.
A large number of people in the state also consume beef and pork. However, several cows were found to be infected with lumpy skin disease, while many pigs reportedly died of African swine fever in recent times.
As such, the demand for chicken has suddenly gone up in Shillong.