Pengba, Ngaton fair
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 30 2018:
An exclusive fair for Pengba and Ngaton fishes would be held at the fish firm of Soibam Tomba and Sons at Hiyangthang on the eve of Ningol Chakkouba festival on November 8.Speaking to media persons at the fish farm today, the farm's managing director cum proprietor Soibam Surchandra said that 10,000 Kgs of Pengba weighing 250 gm to 700 gm each and 5000 Kgs of Ngaton weighing 50 gm to 70 gm each would be sold at the fair.
He said that he started rearing Pengba and Ngaton in his fish farm of 8.50 hectares since 2004 after these indigenous fishes were caught from rivers.
Some other fish farmers started producing the same fishes since 2012-13, said Surchandra who has received National awards three times in the field of pisciculture.
Even though there are around 20,000 successful fish farmers in the State, very few of them rear Pengba and Ngaton because these fishes are very vulnerable to Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS) during dry season, he said.
After three years of experiment, it has been established that four drugs manufactured by APC Nutrients namely; Aquamix, Planktomin, Ultracide and Bioclean are quite effective in keeping away EUS.
If at least 500 fish farmers rear Pengba and Ngaton, the two indigenous fishes can be produced abundantly and their prices would certainly come down, Surchandra added.