KOCHI: To make fish seed varieties more available to aquaculturists, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), opened the sale of silver pompano fish seeds at its Multispecies Aquaculture Complex in Vallarpadom, near Kochi, on Wednesday.
Rajni Sekhri Sibal, secretary (Fisheries), Government of India, inaugurated the sale of these seeds, developed by MPEDA, with the help of its research wing, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA). MPEDA chairman K S Srinivas, B Sreekumar, secretary of MPEDA, and Manoj, an officer with Multispecies Aquaculture Complex, were present.
Silver pompano is the most preferred fish on the western coast, especially in the Konkan region. The fish grows up to 350 to 400 grams within six months in ideal climate conditions, with a production cost not exceeding D150 per kg.
Sibal, who is also the first secretary of the newly formed Fisheries Department, appreciated the efforts taken by the MPEDA-RGCA to supply seeds of various species of fish to the aquaculture farmers. She said the various state governments can adopt the technology from MPEDA-RGCA and set up similar facilities to cater to the needs of the aquaculture farmers.
The Vallarpadam Multispecies Aquaculture Complex, inaugurated by the Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu in December last year, has achieved a turnover of D1 crore in 100 days by selling seeds of GIFT, Seabass and Black Tiger.