BOGURA: Commercial catfish cultivation has brought smile on the faces of farmers in the district.
Sources said, catfish was declining fast from the local water bodies due to excessive use of insecticides and pesticides along with indiscriminate fishing.
Then, the authority concerned took an initiative to improve the situation.
Officials at the Fisheries Department started motivating farmers towards the farming of catfish. Now the catfish farmers of the district are earning over Tk 300 million every year, after paying production cost.
A good number of fish cultivators have attained self-reliance from the cultivation of catfish as they get good output and fair market price, said district fisheries officer Rawshan Ara.
Source said around 0.1 million tonnes of catfish are being produced in the twelve upazilas of the district.
Farmer Abdus Sobhan of Adamdighi upazila said he started farming indigenous catfish at his pond. "I make a good profit from the initiative. It is a profitable venture", he added.
Each kg of catfish is being sold at Tk 500 to Tk 600 in the retail market and Tk 480 to Tk 520 in the wholesale market.
Wholesalers from deferent districts visit the area frequently to purchase catfish from the cultivators. The catfish production in the district is increasing gradually with the initiative of the Fisheries Department.
Fisheries Department sources said many new farmers in the area are showing interest to cultivate catfish at their ponds for making huge profit, local sources added.
