RAJSHAHI, Oct 10: Fish farmers in the district are trying to stand again from the losses during the lockdown following corona pandemic.
Due to decline in prices of fish at that time, they suffered loss as fish supply to Dhaka was snapped.
Meanwhile, their businesses resumed in full swing after the lockdown. Though the prices of fish are a bit less, they can sell these. Every day 140 truckloads of carp variety fish are going to Dhaka from Rajshahi. Trading of fish worth about Tk 1,700 crore takes place in Rajshahi annually.
Few days back, fish worth about Tk 12 crore died of oxygen deficit in different ponds here affecting some fish farmers seriously.
Fish farmers said prices are yet to be normal due to corona situation. Per kg fish is selling at Tk 40 to 50 less than the normal prices. The fish feed is also pricey.
They are hoping to get normal prices as full-scale fish trading has restarted.
According to sources at local Fisheries Department, there are 50,000 ponds in the district's 13,000 hectares of land. In these ponds, 81,000 metric tons of fish are grown annually, and 85 per cent of these are carp variety fish.
According to the countrywide count, Rajshahi tops in carp fish production.
Each truck, which goes to Dhaka daily, contains about 700 to 800 kg of fish.
Though there are total 17,000 fish farmers in Rajshahi, about nine lakh people are engaged in production, farming and marketing of fish here.
A grower Shahidul Islam of Bagdhani area in Paba Upazila said, "We could not sell fish due to price fall during lockdown. But, after the lockdown, I sold fish worth about Tk 17 lakh in the last month. I have fish worth about Tk 1.10 crore in my seven ponds in 55 acres of land."
Another Sadikul of Nawhata in the same upazila said, "Since the withdrawal of the lockdown, I have been selling eight to ten trucks of fish per month. I sold per piece rui weighing two kg at Tk 320 before the lockdown, but now I am selling the same at Tk 270. The price fell by Tk 40 to 50 per kg."
One Abu Hanif Sardar of Durgapur Upazila has 35 ponds. Due to oxygen deficit, fish of his five ponds died. Yet he has sold fish worth about Tk 30 lakh after lockdown. He has more fish worth crore taka. These fishes will be sold within few days, he informed.
Grower Afzal Hossen of Zhikra Village in Bagmara Upazila said, "After lockdown, I hoped to sell fish worth about Tk 20 lakh. But huge number of fish of my ponds died of oxygen deficit some days back."
Another Anisur Rahman of Sreepur Village in the upazila said, "After lockdown, I have so far sold fish worth about Tk 10 lakh from four ponds. More fish stock is available for sale. I will sell these when the market situation improves."
District Fisheries Officer Alak Kumar Saha said fish in Rajshahi is cultivated in three stages- farm, nursery and hatchery. These three stages suffered loss worth about Tk 100 crore due to corona situation.
He also said an assessment of the damages has been sent to the Department of Fisheries. No government incentive has yet arrived. He, however, claimed that many fish farmers here got agriculture loan at four per cent interest rate.
