1.50 lakh Kgs of fish put on sale
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 22 2025: Altogether 1.50 lakh Kgs of fish were put on sale at the 46th Annual Fish Fair-cum-Fish Crop Competition held today at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal East.

141 stalls were opened at the fair and it was participated by 136 fish farmers.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fair, Fisheries Director T Phulen Meitei said that Manipur will be self-sufficient in fish production in the next five years.

Fish is not only a staple diet of the people of Manipur but it is also indispensable in social/community gatherings as well as auspicious occasions, Phulen said.

Annual consumption of fish in Manipur is 64,000 metric tonnes but the State is unable to produce this quantity of fish.

1.50 lakh Kgs of fish put on sale

There is a shortage in fish production and this shortage is made up by imports from other States.

In order to enable local fish farmers produce enough quantity of fish to meet the State's requirement, the Fisheries Department has been implementing several measures, Phulen Meitei said.

The State's fish production is short of the average daily requirement by 20,000 metric tonnes.

This shortage can be made up in the next five years, he said.

He said that the quantity of Meitei Sareng produced this year is much higher than the quantity produced in the previous year but it is still far from being enough to meet the demand.

Importing fish from other States usually takes 15 to 20 days to reach Imphal.

In order to prevent the fishes from becoming stale or rotten on the way, they are treated with chemicals.

"But these chemicals are harmful to health.

So we need to avoid imported fish and promote local fish as much as possible", he said.

The Fisheries Department has been encouraging local fish farmers by awarding cash rewards to farmers who produce the highest quantities of fish at the annual fish fair every year, he added.

Additional Chief Secretary Vivek Kumar Dewangan said that the average annual requirement of fish in the State is 64,000 metric tonnes but at present, the State is producing only around 45,000 metric tonnes.

The remaining 20,000 metric tonnes are imported from different States, he said before underscoring the need to make Manipur self-sufficient in fish production.

He said that the fish fair is a buyer-seller platform.

Fisheries Commissioner Haobam Rosita and Special Secretary Nita Arambam were also present at the inaugural function.