When can we reach 18?

When can we reach 18?

India is a major maritime state and an important aquaculture country in the world. India stands fourth in the world fish production and producing 11.6 mt where 7.49 mt comes from the inland sectors and marine sector contributing 4.11 mt. The annual export is around 1.14 mt from fish and shellfish with estimated earnings more than Rs.38,500 crores (MPEDA, 2017), accounting for 18% of the agricultural exports and over 3% of the total exports. Producing about 6.42% of the world's fish, India trades to the extent of 3.5% in the global fish market.

Aquaculture is increasingly becoming important, with an annual growth rate of over 6%. The country is the second largest producer of fish through aquaculture in the world, next to China. The annual per capita availability of fish (PAF) in the country is as follows:

The total population of the country as on 11 February 2018 it is 1.34 billion (Exactly it is 1349 860 549). India is exporting 1.14 mt to other countries. So the total available fish in India is 10.26 mt (10260, 000,000 kg) which includes non edible part and the quantity of fish that goes for industrial purpose also.

PAF = 10260,000,000/1349 860 549 = 7.6 kg

Till date, many scientists have taken only 50% of the population as fish eating numbers. In no statistics and mathematics, these conveniences are not allowed. While calculating per capita income, unemployed people and all kids are also taken into consideration. Similarly, if we go by established and accepted norms, we need to consider entire population for per capita calculation and it is 7.6 kg/person/anum

This is lower than the WHO recommendation of 18-20 kg/person/annum. By considering 6% growth in fisheries sector, it might take 20-22 years to reach the 18 kg/person/anum provided the population remains constant. But the population is growing at the rate of 1.2% per year. So, it might reach 1.5 billion by 2030. The finite resources remain constant. Due to siltation, drought, encroachment, weed infestation, the water spread area is not as the area mentioned in the records. On the other hand, new areas are converted into fish ponds. These complex issues call for serious intervention of the data management and scientific strategies to enhance fish production in the existing resources.

In this context, the total aquatic resources and the fish seed requirement of the country is calculated by taking moderate stocking density. If the vast aquatic resources of the country are put into use effectively for fish production using quality seed with right size and right species composition, this 18 can be achieved much earlier. India is already producing sufficient quantity of fish seeds. But due to unscientific rearing management and transportation, significant quantity of fish seed is lost every year.

To utilize all the aquatic resources as suggested in the above table, the total seed requirement would be 6.67 billion (66,777,000,00) fish seeds.  To produce this quality fish seed by taking 25% survival from spawn to fingerling, we need 26.68 billion spawn. The average production of all these waterbodies is about 800-900 kg/ha. Through our right intervention, if the average production is increased by 100 kg/ha, the per capita consumption is increases by 1.07 kg.  

Aquaculture Version 8.0?

Indian aquaculture started with stocking wild seeds (version 1.0), later moved  to  stocking  hatchery bred seed (Version 2.0) along with a manuring schedule (Version 3.0) which was natural food based. Slowly, farmers started feeding rice bran and ground nut cake (Version 4.0). With continued advancement in aquaculture technology growers began using aerators (Version 5.0) and use of sinking feed pellets (version 6.0). Extruded feeds are now added to Indian aquaculture (version 7.0) and now IPAT as Version 8.0.

Since scope for horizontal expansion of aquaculture is limited, farmers need to shift from 6.0 to 7.0 or 8.0 soon. The present rate of rice bran is Rs. 25-30/kg and Rs. 40-50 for groundnut cake. When their mixture (1:1) is given the cost of production of carps in semi intensive aquaculture will be Rs. 108/kg when Food Conversion Ratio (FCR) is taken at it best i.e. 3.0. Looking at the economics of the conventional feed, it is cheaper to go for commercial diets. Because of the scale of economy, feed companies are able to produce the feeds at reasonably cheaper than the conventional feeds.

Blue Revolution II:

Carp’s average production in India is about 3.5 t/ha as against 10-20 t/ha in china, while Vannamei’s production is about 8-12 t/ha against 40-60 t/ha in Vietnam. In India, the average production of any fish/shrimp species is less than those in many countries; these production levels are attainable even in India. Fragmentation of land, low working capital, no diversification, lack of infrastructure and  skilled man power, technological gaps, weak extension, gaps in policies, poor support services from banks, developmental agencies, non availability of inputs in farmer’s vicinity, high cost of inputs, smartness of middleman, weak cold chain, disease problems, unorganized system among others appear to have limited the higher production potential.

However, production technology alone will offer the solutions for the above said problems. There are many non technical issues which are playing a significant role in the performance of the fisheries sector. The parameters which play a significant role in enhancing fish production are as follows:

• Breed selection
• Feeds and feeding management
• Water quality
• Improved larval rearing facilities and Larval feeds
• Grading
• Seed transportation
• Stocking right size seeds in right quantity
• Stocking based on production potential of given waterbody
• Data management