WG to have crab and fish breeding centre

Eluru: The district administration has decided to hike breeding centres of Pandugappa variety fish and crabs in 20 acres of farmland as a pilot project in the district. The officials will take 20 acres on lease from farmers to breed these two varieties to develop the aquaculture in the district.

The District Collector K Bhaskar while reviewing the priority sectors’ progress at a meeting held here on Wednesday, said that West Godavari district is the suitable place for breeding the new variety of fish and the cost-effective aquaculture and will give farmers higher income, he opined. For this, he directed the officials to educate the farmers on the breeding of Pandugappa and crabs on trial basis.

He directed the officials to take up crab cultivation in ten acres and Pandugappa fish in 10 acres. He said that the officials have to take 20 acres of fish tanks on lease in the seashore area where the salinity density is high. Through this pilot project we have to estimate the income after the breeding, collector added and said after it has to be introduced by farmers in the villages.

The Collector said that the harbour to be established at Biyyaputippa village in Mogalturu mandal will be reviewed weekly and said that the State and Centre have to give permissions to the fish harbour in Biyyaputippa village. If this harbour was established at the seashore, the fishermen will catch the fish with the help of modernised mechanical boats. He also said that the fish yielding will be exported from the harbour itself. He directed fisheries officials to distribute radiators to fish farmers.

He questioned the officials who completed 4,000 hectares of drip irrigation targets and asked within five months how you will complete the 21,000 hectares for the drip irrigation. He suggested ATMA project director Ananta Kumari to take up for setting up of 1,000 seed societies in the district to make the farmers produce the seed in their lands.