Fifteen farmers of two remote Moheshpur unions have been showing ray of hope before the fish farmers to change their lot with Pabda fish farming. They earned Taka five crore in a year and expecting another Taka eight to ten crore in the current season. Upazila fisheries department has been providing technical and other assistance to the farmers.
The number of fish farmers and farming area is increasing day by day when the farmers from other areas have been witnessing the farming. It has been playing significant role in fish production as well as development of socio-economic condition of the farmers of Pantapara and Banshbaria unions within a short time.
Jahed Ali of Baganmath area said three farmers of the village had started Pabda farming a few years back. Later, they contacted the fish traders at Bangaon and Barasat in West Bengal. As per the assurance of the fish traders, 15 farmers of two unions produced the fish in wider scale on 25 hectares of water body and produced 130 tons in eight months of release of the fish prawns in the ponds. The fish was sold at Taka 360 each kilogram. They earned Taka five crore during the harvesting period in cash.
The traders collect the fish during the harvesting hours and packing in cases directly. They are expecting Taka eight to ten core from the fish when the area was increased double, said Jahed Ali.
Anwar Parvez and Aliuzzaman of Pantapara village said they purchased a piece of Pabda prawn at Taka .90 to 1.20 from the Mymenshingh fish research institute and released the same in their ponds. The prawns grow mature in seven to eight months with intensive care. There is no major expenditure for the farming.
The area of Pabda farming has increased to double as surrounding village people had witnessed the success of the farming. The farmers said, Anwar Parvez, Akter Hossain, Abdus salam, Jahed AlI, Nayan , Khokan, Moslem Uddin and some others have done good farming the Pabda in the locality.
Alamgir Hossain, Upazila fisheries officer (UFO) in Moheshpur when contacted said they have been ensuring assistance to fish farmers for the bright prospect of Pabda farming as it is most profitable to farmers. Further, the most palatable and tasty Pabda has a wide market in the country as well as neighboring West Bengal.
Number of Pabda farmers increased to 30 in a year due to its good production and profit. The farmers might harvest the fish for an amount of taka 10 crore in the current season. The research institute authorities have been supplying the prawns at the ponds of the farmers directly without carrying charge to increase the production and avoid hazard during transportation.
Mohammad Alfaz Uddin, district fisheries officer (DFO in Jhenidah said they have been working to expand the Pabda farming commercially for two purposes. The farmers are receiving good profit and the optimum production will help reduce the protein deficiency naturally faster.
