Lobster farming at Paba increasing

RAJSHAHI, Nov 2: More than 15 farmers at different areas of the upazila have started lobster farming after witnessing success of others here.
It can be a highly profitable sector for the farmers as well as the unemployed youth, if they are provided with adequate support from the authorities concerned, sources said.
If farmers take care of the lobster properly, it can increase in weight from 100 to 150 gram within five to six months, sources added.
Now lobster is being sold Tk 600 to 800 per kg in markets. But the district's markets are not yet popular for lobster selling, the sources further said.
So far, the district has attained the top position in producing white fish (carp fish). If farmers get right suggestion in proper time, they can bring revolution to lobster cultivation as well. It can turn into another money spinning sector here and will play an important role in social economic development, said specialists.
Talking with The Daily Observer, Sahed Ali, ex-senior fishing officer of the upazila, said that farmers can easily cultivate lobster in their ponds or wetlands. It does not need highly trained or qualified farmers; it is very easy to cultivate with a little care.
There is no difference of fish food especially for lobster and it can be sold in the markets after only five to six months. It can gain 120 to 140 gram weight within six months. If the farmers commercially start lobster farming, it would be money spinning sector in this area, he said.
While talking with The Daily Observer, the farmers- Shaidul Islam of Hazipara village and Akbar Ali of Horian area of the upazila, said that they have completed a training on lobster farming in the last year and stared lobster farming. They become self-reliant after through the farming.
Farmer Shoidul Islam said that he collected the lobster from Natore Post Larva and started farming in his big pond. He also gave some lobster to another farmer Haider Ali for farming.
Both of them started lobster farming with a mixing system as they were farming lobster with carp-fish.  
In this regard, District Fishing Officer Suvash Chandra Shaha, said that lobster farming can be a highly profitable sector in the Barind tract.
If the proper measures are taken to expand the lobster farming, it will be a highly profitable sector and also play an important role to the development if the country's economy, he hopped.