Telangana sees 145% growth in fish production value

Hyderabad: The blue revolution is truly on in Telangana with the State surging ahead in fish farming, and fish production valued at Rs 4,844.67 crore in 2020-21 – an increase of 145 per cent over the 2017-18 figure. In the first year after the launch of the fish seedlings distribution scheme in 2017-18, fish production […]

Hyderabad: The blue revolution is truly on in Telangana with the State surging ahead in fish farming, and fish production valued at Rs 4,844.67 crore in 2020-21 – an increase of 145 per cent over the 2017-18 figure. In the first year after the launch of the fish seedlings distribution scheme in 2017-18, fish production worth Rs 1,993.11 crore was recorded in the State.

The State is likely to surpass fish production value of Rs 5,500 crore during the current fiscal even as the overall cumulative value of fish produce that accrued to the community in the last five years amounted to Rs 11,606.6 crore. This is a very conservative estimate as the average price estimate at tank site is taken between Rs 70 to Rs 95 over the five year period.

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Telangana has the country’s third largest water spread with 5.73 lakh sq km coverage in various water bodies including reservoirs. It is the fifth largest in terms of fish production.

As per the latest information tabled in the Assembly, the State government launched the distribution of free fish seedlings in about 11,067 water bodies in 2017-18. About 51.08 crore fish seedlings were stocked at a cost of Rs 44.6 crore leading to fish production of 2.62 lakh tonnes, after nearly 8-10 months period. In the last four years, there has been an impressive growth in fish farming. Around 68.52 crore fishlings worth Rs 51.8 crore were released in 23,263 water bodies across the State. As a result, about 3.37 lakh tonnes of fish production worth Rs 4,844.57 crore was recorded.

“Telangana is likely to surpass its previous record with fish production valued at Rs 5,500 crore during the current fiscal, considering the significant increase in distribution of fishlings,” an official said. Around 76.75 crore fishlings worth Rs 77.49 crore were released into 23,263 water bodies in 2021-22. The official said there was a huge demand for freshwater fish from Telangana across the country.

Due to various intervention programmes of the State government, the average income levels of the Fishermen Cooperative Societies (FCS) as well as their respective members witnessed a significant increase. The number of FCSs grew by 15 per cent from 4,002 in 2016-17 to 4,604 in 2020-21, while the membership rose by eight per cent during the same period from 2.85 lakh in 2016-17 to 3.09 lakh in 2020-21.

During the corresponding period, prawn cultivation also grew considerably recording a production of 11,734 tonnes worth Rs 381.18 crore in 2021-22. Prawn cultivation was taken up in about 11 water bodies in 2017-18 which resulted in production of 7.78 tonnes valued at Rs 171.23 crore.

 

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