Man from Wabagai finds success in rearing local fish
Source: The Sangai Express

Kakching, August 08 2020: Fish being one of the essential parts of the daily diets in Manipur, aquaculture is widely practised in the State, playing an important role in the socio-economic life of the people here.

One 40 years old fish farmer Waikhom Tikendrajit from Wabagai Mayai Leikai is producing climbing perches (ukabi) which weigh around 200 gram each on average at his fish farm measuring around 1 hectare.

Majority of 47, 500 fries he released at his pond at Wabagai Mayai Leikai a few months back are not only grown fully now but also become very popular to buyers.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, Waikhom Tikendrajit said that he bought a land measuring 3.5 hectare in 2007 at Rs 4,50,000 for fish farming.

The present value of the land would be around Rs 40 to 50 lakh, he said.

Saying that he started his business by buying fries from Kolkata and Andhra Pradesh at the rate of Rs 2 per piece, he added that he released 47, 500 fries in between April 27 to May 5 this year.

Some people came to my place to buy these fishes while many ordered via telephone, the fish farmer said and added that his selling price of the fishes is Rs 400 per kilogram.

In the remaining portion of the pond (2.5 hectare), Rohu (25,500); Silver carp (1,500); Grass carp (3,500) and Mrigal (10,000) are reared, Tikendrajit said, adding that he bought fish feed from Andhra Pradesh.

"Many experts have informed me that the fish feed that I use (2mm and 9951) are not harmful to human health," he lamented.

The fish farmer also said that he had attended several training programmes on fish farming organised by KVK Thoubal and implemented the technique he learnt from experts on his business.

Continuing that he made a profit of about Rs 20 lakh a year in the past from selling fishes, he said that he is currently working with 2 temporary and regular staff each.

Speaking about his academic career, Tikendrajit said he could not complete his graduation due to family conditions.

Waikhom Tikendrajit is son of W Ibomcha Singh.

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