Brainstorming Session

A ‘Brainstorming Session on ‘Strategies of Promoting Fisheries Production, Entrepreneurship and Value Added Fish Products in Madhya Pradesh State’ was held at CIFE, Powarkheda Centre on 1st Dec 2017 at 2:00 p.m.

A ‘Brainstorming Session on ‘Strategies of Promoting Fisheries Production, Entrepreneurship and Value Added Fish Products in Madhya Pradesh State’ was held at CIFE, Powarkheda Centre on 1st Dec 2017 at 2:00 p.m. It was attended by Mr. Vinod Kumar, Principal Secretary, Fisheries (Madhya Pradesh); Mr. O. P. Saxena, Director, Fisheries Department (M.P.); Mr. M. S. Dhakad, Managing Director, Fish Co-operative Federation (M.P.); Dr. Gopal Krishna, Director, ICAR-CIFE along with State officials, farmers and entrepreneurs and experts and staff of ICAR-CIFE.

Director, ICAR-CIFE, welcomed the guests and thanked Mr. Vinod Kumar and Mr. Saxena for expediting the transfer of land on which CIFE Powarkheda Centre is situated in the name of ICAR-CIFE. He expressed confidence that this will give and impetus to development of better infrastructure at the Centre that will benefit the state and fulfill their training and research needs. Mr Saxena was pleased that the brainstorming session was to be immediately followed by a 5 day training programme on “Fish Processing” for 20 state officials. He said that this is one important aspect that has to be emphasized in present times for enhancing farmers’ profit and protecting from glut in production. Mr. Dhakad, suggested that the food industry should be roped in for this kind of enterprise and the guidelines approved for agricultural food products may be followed. The Principal Secretary, Fisheries (M.P.), encouraged the officials and farmers to participate whole heartedly in transformation of fisheries sector and looked forward to technology and training assistance from CIFE, Mumbai and its centre at Powarkheda. He emphasized the importance of high performing species and strains with better food conversion ratios. He also stressed increasing pond productivity to reduce cost of feed.

In the ensuing brainstorming session farmers raised issues related to use of locally available ingredients for fish feed like water hyacinth and maize cob, diseases in fish being grown in cages and possible treatments. Dr. Balange, Senior Scientist, FRHPH Division, CIFE, suggested that expensive processing equipment can be provided by M.P. State to entrepreneurs as central facility that can be used on payment basis. Dr. Aparna Chaudhari, Head, FGB Division, CIFE and Nodal Officer, Powarkheda Centre suggested application of high value ornamental fish culture and giant freshwater prawn/ carp polyculture technologies available with CIFE. She also stressed the importance of containing hybrids and tilapia being cultured on some farms as they could affect aquatic fauna in natural water bodies.

During the visit to the Centre, Dr. Sunil Nayak, OIC, Powarkheda, appraised the officials about the activities of the Centre.