Various species of local fish cultivated in ponds, canals and water bodies in Bogura, Joypurhat are being exported. These fish include pabda, gulsha, shing, tengra etc. These are exported to different countries in Europe and America as well as China, Japan, Canada, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, India and Nepal.
According to the local fisheries department, on average, 1,000 tonnes of local fish are produced in ponds, canals and water bodies in Bogura region every month during the peak season. Fish become exportable four months after releasing fries. About 300 tonnes or a little over 30 per cent of the total fish production are exported. In total, fish worth Tk 120 million (Tk 12 crore) to Tk 150 million (Tk 15 crore) is exported from the Bogura region.
More than 1,000 fish cultivators and farmers have been commercially producing fish in ponds, canals and water bodies in Kahaloo, Dhupchanchia, Adamdighi and Shibganj upazilas of Bogura, and Kalai, Khetlal, Akkelpur and Panchbibi upazilas of Joypurhat for a decade. Besides, more than 100 hatcheries have been set up in the two districts to produce fish fries.
Fish farming had started with catfish. As it proved profitable, cultivation of various species of fishes including shing, tengra, koi, pabda and gulsha began. Exporters purchase one-third of these fishes from ponds, canals, water bodies and warehouses. The rest of the fish goes to the local markets as well as different places including Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna.
Many educated young people are trying their luck at fish farming. Farmer Zakir Hossain from Hatior village is one of them. He said he has been cultivating fish in a pond on an area of 120-bighas. He has spent Tk 12 million (Tk 1.2 crore) to date. If everything goes fine, he hopes to produce 4,000 maunds of fish.
He said he started cultivating the local variety of catfish in an 80-decimal pond with a little capital eight years ago. Later he was hugely successful in farming other fish too.
The owner of Khulna-based exporting company KBC International, Gopal Biswas, said, “He has been exporting huge amounts of pabda to different cities of West Bengal, including Kolkata, every month for the past three years after purchasing those from Bogura and Joypurhat.”
Visiting Station Bazar in Bogura’s Kahaloo upazila recently, it was seen that pabda covered in ice was being packed in cartons for export. Each carton contained 21 kg of frozen pabda.
Fish farmer Fakhrul Islam told Prothom Alo that pabda of the size that makes 20 to 25 fish per kg, is in demand the most. Now pabda is sold at Tk 10,000 a maund (40 kgs). Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, he sold this at Tk 16,000 a maund.
National award-winning farmer Shafiqul Islam produces fries of different fishes, including shrimp, pabda, tengra, koi (climbing perch), catfish and gulsha, at a hatchery in Bibirpukur of Kahaloo upazila. He said he is currently producing fries of various local species of fish as the demand increases. They have even produced 3,000 kg fries of pabda amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Fish wholesaler Bikash Roy told Prothom Alo that he sells large (A grade) pabda at Tk 330 to 340 a kg and gulsha at Tk 525 to 540 a kg to the exporters of Chattogram. Besides, he supplies to wholesalers and various companies, including Daraz Bangladesh, Chaldal.com, Shwapno, Andaj, BD Foods and Mashud Foods, in Dhaka.
Milon Bhattacharya, an exporter from Chattogram, said he collected pabda, gulsha and shing from Bogura and Joypurhat and sends those to Europe and America and the United Arab Emirate (UAE).
Bogura district fisheries officer Sarakar Anwarul Kabir Ahammed said this year the demand for fishes stands at 74,000 tonnes in the district. Some 33,000 fish cultivators and farmers produce 84,000 tonnes of fishes annually. Some 20 to 25 per cent of the farmers and fish cultivators produce local species of fish, he added.
This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna