KOCHI: The new technology for integrated water chestnut cultivation and aquaculture, developed by the Indian Institute of Water Management (IIWM), Bhubaneswar, can show a new way for the effective utilisation of water-logged areas lying under-utilised in the State.
Field trials conducted by the IIWM proved that cultivation of water chestnut (trapa bispinosa), popularly known as ‘pani singhara’, has shown remarkable results while integrated with catfish farming. “Under the integrated technology, productivity grew significantly and fish production increased, while the quantity of feed required for aquaculture came down by 25-30 per cent,” stated IIWM.
“Water chestnut fruits are generally consumed as raw or after boiling. A powder made from the fruit is also very popular in certain parts of the country,” IIWM principal scientist Dr R K Mohanty told ‘Express’, on the sidelines of the international symposium on Cage Aquaculture in Asia (CAA5) held at Radisson Blu here.
The burgundy-green fruit is either sun-dried or machine-dried and pounded to produce the flour that is used as a source of non-cereal carbohydrate diet. On the adaptability of integrated farming in Kerala, Dr Mohanty said water chestnut farming could be successfully conducted in non-saline water-logs with a minimum of 1.5 metre depth. Though not very popular in Kerala, ‘pani singhara’ is a favourite in North Eastern India. It fetches on average `40 per kg in the wholesale market.