Sunday shoppers would have wondered at live fish going on sale at Bank Colony, Bibikulam and Anna Nagar. For those used to consuming marine fish brought from Rameswaram, buying live freshwater fish has been quite a different experience. Two entrepreneurs S. Vaitheeswaran and S. Alagu Ravi are out there to transform the way Madurai consumes fish, even while proving that fish farming is a highly profitable venture. With decades of experience in pisciculture, they have returned to Madurai to create a model with some of the best practices in the global industry. Their hatchery is one of the very few approved by the Union Ministry of Agriculture in the country. With 12 years of experience in managing the largest freshwater fish culture project in the Middle East, we returned to our native place to start a consultancy firm in 2012. In 2015, we decided to establish a hatchery and farm with fish stock imported from Thailand under National Fisheries Development Board Scheme. From January 2016, we have been marketing freshwater fish, recalls Mr. Vaitheeswaran. Svara Biotechnovations, which incorporates eco-friendly practices, is located at Therkkupethampatti village off Natham Road in Kavanur panchayat. Spread over 2.5 acres of land, the farm breeds two varieties of Tilapia fish Red and Nile. They have been very careful in choosing the right variety for the region as an earlier attempt to introduce Tilapia to south Tamil Nadu when K. Kamaraj was Chief Minister backfired as the wrong species was chosen. Compared to native varieties, Tilapia’s growth rate is very high and it can be bred in higher density all round the year, says Mr. Alagu Ravi. The farm adopts natural breeding of fish in open in cement tanks. The mouth of the female Tilapia acts as an incubator for fertilised eggs. The eggs are harvested from the mouth and fed into an incubator to ensure uniformity in production. The fingerlings are then transported to tanks and graded after three weeks. A grading facility functions at nearby Natham. The edible fish normally weighs 300 to 500 grams. Live display The marketing strategy adopted by Svara Biotechnovations is intended to make people experience the joy of consuming fish fresh from the pond. We transport the fish live and display it live at retail outlets. It is weighed and sold as per the requirement of individual consumers, says Mr. Vaitheeswaran. Apart from Madurai, the fish is sold by vendors in Singampunari, Melur, Karungalakudi and surrounding villages. The retail cost of Tilapia is lesser than all the native varieties of fish. Each weekly harvest at the farm fetches 500 to 700 kg of fish. The advantages of Tilapia fish farming are many, from the point of view of both entrepreneur and consumer. It is ideal when integrated with agricultural operations. The water is re-circulated in the ponds and not allowed to get into the ground as the bed is lined with high density poly ethylene sheets. “Fish pond water is a good manure for any crop. We do not use any chemical, except lime, and hence the fish reared organically is safe for consumption, explains Mr. Vaitheeswaran. ccording to him, inland fish farms will be big protein providers for the country which has a high level of protein deficiency. Fish is preferred over other meat varieties for its rich content of amino acids and low cholesterol. There is only one problem with freshwater fish. It does not smell.
2016, The Hindu