A fresh statistics released by the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD) shows fish production increased to around 30,000 tons in fiscal year 2011/12, up from 24,295 tons recorded in 2007/08.[break]
During the period, the number of commercial ponds surged to 29,970 from 23,884. Of the total commercial fish ponds, 27,558 are in Tarai districts, 1,630 in the hilly region and remaining 82 in mountainous districts.
Dr Tek Bahadur Gurung, a fish expert, said fish farming has been growing at the rate of 6-9 percent over the past few years. “Despite lack of government´s serious efforts, the number of farmers and commercial fish ponds is increasing significantly perhaps due to high rate of return,” Gurung, who is also the director of Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) -- the farm research wing of the government.
Gurung said farmers are enjoying at least three times higher return in fish farming compared to other farm activities.
Keeping in view the growing interest of farmers in fish farming, which currently contributes around 2 percent in Agriculture Gross Domestic Product (AGDP), the government has been implementing Fish Mission through Department of Agriculture (DoA) in seven districts. Similarly, NARC has also implementing a program to promote farming of rainbow trout -- a high-value fish variety -- in eleven districts.
Project for Agriculture Commercialization and Trade (PACT) has also been promoting fisheries in different districts. Similarly, with the support from Norwegian government, MoAD has been supporting fish production in 10 districts -- Ramechhap, Sunsari, Ilam, Bara, Gorkha, Tanahun, Kashki, Lamjung, Syangja and Baglung.
Experts, however, say existing programs are simply insufficient to replace the country´s fish imports. According to officials, Nepal imports fishes worth around Rs 2 billion a year.
“Though some programs have been launched from the government and non-government sector to promote fish farming, major contribution has come from farmers themselves. They have been making huge investment in fisheries over the past few years,” said Gurung.
Total fish production from different sources -- commercial ponds, streams (race ways), lakes, cages, paddy fields and wetlands - in the country is estimated to touch 50,000 tons in the current fiscal year.
“We have to at least double the existing production if we are to substitute fish imports,” said Gurung.
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