PUNE: Fish culture of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT), an exotic variety of inland fish, is proving a boon for the farmers in the State as it is fetching them as high as Rs 250 per kg. The lower mortality rate, high stocking density and more number of crops produced as compared to other native fish such as Rohu, Catala and Mrigal is proving profitable for farmers.
Started in 2016 in the State, as per the State Fisheries Department there are 150+ farmers who are practising this fish culture. Pandit Chavan from the village Nira near Pune was the first one to start this fish culture in the State and managed to earn 40 per cent profit per crop. He said, “This exotic variety of inland fish has quite a demand in the domestic market and fetches us rate of Rs 150 per kg in the wholesale while if we sell it in retail the rates goes up to Rs 250 per kg.”
He further said, “The stocking density of this fish is very good as compared to other native inland fish. Around five tilapia can be stocked in one square metre of the area while in rohu only one fish can be stocked in one sq metre of area. These fish are also disease resistant and the average weight of fish is 500 gm. In one acre of area, almost 20,000 fish can be stocked weighing around 10 tonne and can fetch around Rs 10 lakh, almost 40 per cent profit.”
Another farmer, Nitin Ranawade from Mulkhed, Mulshi who also has GIFT in his two acres of pond echoes the same. He said, “In a period of one and a half year we can harvest two crops of GIFT while in other native fish like rohu and catala only one crop can be harvested. This variety of fish has good weight due to its high disease-resistant quality as compared to native fish offers good income to the farmers. The mortality rate is also not more than 5 per cent while in rohu it is around 20 to 30 perc cent.”
Tilapia native to Africa and Middle East has uncontrolled breeding and can be a threat to other native fish as they also feed on other fish. Due to constant breeding they are also unable to attain a marketable weight. A genetically improved variety of Tilapia called GIFT is used for fish culture as the fishlings are injected with hormonal feed and grow as males. In order to start GIFT fish culture, farmer has to apply for a license which is issued from the State Fisheries Department and then only they can buy seeds from Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, Vijaywada which is the only authorised centre to provide seeds for GIFT. At present, in the State, it is done in two formats – pond culture or cage culture. However, farmers do face lot of challenges in the licenses as it requires a lot of time.
Chavan said, “This fish being an omnivorus, the farming is done in controlled condition so that it does not enter in the natural resource of water and therefore, a license is important. However, it is a long wait as after application for license at district fisheries office, inspection is conducted and then report is submitted to the State office and after Steering Committee review it, then only license is granted. One of the other issue is the requirement of area to get license is around one acre which is very difficult as such huge area is not available.”
Commissioner of fisheries RR Jadhav said, “Tilapia is becoming popular among farmers as more crops can be harvested in less time as compared to other native inland fish. It is also in good demand and fetches them good price. Since, this exotic fish feeds on other fish and can be threat to native fish, conditional farming is allowed and the strict process of issuing licenses in also important to follow.”
