342
V.G. Jhingran
9
.
OPERATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
Jhingran (1983) has drawn attention to an Operational Research Project
on
Composite Fish Culture in water—bodies measuring less than 3 ha. Production
as
high as 2654 to 4290 kg/ha/yr and 3552 to 4080 kg/ha/l8 months have been
obtained from the three ponds (measuring 1.48, 1.95 and 2.15 ha in area). The
same
ponds gave an average yield of only 462 kg/ha/yr before the start of
the project (Jhingran and Sharma, 1978). The cost of fish production in the
experiments ranged from US$ 0.24 to USS 0.25/kg as against the wholesale
market rate of US$ 0.67—U83 1.00/kg. These results have established beyond
doubt that larger water—bodies (less than 3 ha) can be utilized for composite
fish culture and a production of about 4 T/ha/yr obtained. The economic viabi—
lity of the technology is also established.
The Operational Research Project also conducted experiments on integra—
tion of aquaculture with livestock rearing to minimise the cost the fish
production. Sharma et al. (1979) obtained a production of 4323 kg/ha/yr in
rearing neither adding any fertilizer to the pond nor giving any
supplementary feed to the fish. The cost of fish production worked out to US$
0.12/kg which is about half the cost for similar levels of production in the
area.
In fish—cum—pig culture, a high production of 7300 kg/ha/yr was obtained
when pigdung at about 20 000 kg/ha was recycled through the pond. The cost of
fish production worded out to
0.08/ka (Sharma et al., 1979).
The Jute Agriculture Research Institute, Barrackpore, West Bengal, India
under CIFRI's Operational Research Project conducted an experiment at Gosaba
in Lower Sunderbans in West Bengal in 1976 where the chloride content of pond
water
ranged from 36 ppm to 88.5 ppm. A production ranging from 2785 kg to
5225 kg/ha/13 months was obtained in three ponds using the Indian major carps
alone
(Das et al., 1979).
10.
NATIONAL DEMONSTRATÏON PROJECT
The transfert of composite fish culture technology was also undertaken
by the CIFRI through a project on National Demonstrated initiated in 1973 in
the states of West Bengal and 0rissa. Productions as high as 4506 and 5253 kg/
ha/yr were obtained at Mirhati and Nilganj centres in West Bengal during 1973—
74
(Das et al., 1975). A record yield of 5564 kg/ha/16 months with a 3—species
combination of Indian major carps (C, R, M) was obtained under this programme
in
1974—1976, the cost of production being US$ 0.22/kg (Das et al., 1977)Demonstration with 4 species combination incorporating the Indian major carpS
(C, R, M) and common carp at 7500 fingerlings/ha resulted in a production of
3829 kg/ha/yr (Kumar et al., 1979).
11
.
EXTENSION PROJECT
The Government of West Bengal in 1975—76 initiated a scheme for large
scale adoption of the Technology of Composite Fish Culture in 91 ponds
distributed in 13 districts of the State which has since been extended to 584
ponds. Murshed et al.
(1977) estimated an untapped yield reservoir of 0.77
million tons of freshwater carpe from composite fish culture in West Bengal
and
indicated the possibility of increasing fish production by about 450 %.
Ghorai
et al.
(1979) in discnssing the results of 157 demonstrations in CompoSite
Fish Culture in West Bengal during 1976—77 reported a fish production
of
4099 kg/ha/yr and that 70 % of the fish farmers earned a profit ranging bet—
ween
150 % to 300 % per Indian Rupee equivalent.
V.G. Jhingran
9
.
OPERATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
Jhingran (1983) has drawn attention to an Operational Research Project
on
Composite Fish Culture in water—bodies measuring less than 3 ha. Production
as
high as 2654 to 4290 kg/ha/yr and 3552 to 4080 kg/ha/l8 months have been
obtained from the three ponds (measuring 1.48, 1.95 and 2.15 ha in area). The
same
ponds gave an average yield of only 462 kg/ha/yr before the start of
the project (Jhingran and Sharma, 1978). The cost of fish production in the
experiments ranged from US$ 0.24 to USS 0.25/kg as against the wholesale
market rate of US$ 0.67—U83 1.00/kg. These results have established beyond
doubt that larger water—bodies (less than 3 ha) can be utilized for composite
fish culture and a production of about 4 T/ha/yr obtained. The economic viabi—
lity of the technology is also established.
The Operational Research Project also conducted experiments on integra—
tion of aquaculture with livestock rearing to minimise the cost the fish
production. Sharma et al. (1979) obtained a production of 4323 kg/ha/yr in
rearing neither adding any fertilizer to the pond nor giving any
supplementary feed to the fish. The cost of fish production worked out to US$
0.12/kg which is about half the cost for similar levels of production in the
area.
In fish—cum—pig culture, a high production of 7300 kg/ha/yr was obtained
when pigdung at about 20 000 kg/ha was recycled through the pond. The cost of
fish production worded out to
0.08/ka (Sharma et al., 1979).
The Jute Agriculture Research Institute, Barrackpore, West Bengal, India
under CIFRI's Operational Research Project conducted an experiment at Gosaba
in Lower Sunderbans in West Bengal in 1976 where the chloride content of pond
water
ranged from 36 ppm to 88.5 ppm. A production ranging from 2785 kg to
5225 kg/ha/13 months was obtained in three ponds using the Indian major carps
alone
(Das et al., 1979).
10.
NATIONAL DEMONSTRATÏON PROJECT
The transfert of composite fish culture technology was also undertaken
by the CIFRI through a project on National Demonstrated initiated in 1973 in
the states of West Bengal and 0rissa. Productions as high as 4506 and 5253 kg/
ha/yr were obtained at Mirhati and Nilganj centres in West Bengal during 1973—
74
(Das et al., 1975). A record yield of 5564 kg/ha/16 months with a 3—species
combination of Indian major carps (C, R, M) was obtained under this programme
in
1974—1976, the cost of production being US$ 0.22/kg (Das et al., 1977)Demonstration with 4 species combination incorporating the Indian major carpS
(C, R, M) and common carp at 7500 fingerlings/ha resulted in a production of
3829 kg/ha/yr (Kumar et al., 1979).
11
.
EXTENSION PROJECT
The Government of West Bengal in 1975—76 initiated a scheme for large
scale adoption of the Technology of Composite Fish Culture in 91 ponds
distributed in 13 districts of the State which has since been extended to 584
ponds. Murshed et al.
(1977) estimated an untapped yield reservoir of 0.77
million tons of freshwater carpe from composite fish culture in West Bengal
and
indicated the possibility of increasing fish production by about 450 %.
Ghorai
et al.
(1979) in discnssing the results of 157 demonstrations in CompoSite
Fish Culture in West Bengal during 1976—77 reported a fish production
of
4099 kg/ha/yr and that 70 % of the fish farmers earned a profit ranging bet—
ween
150 % to 300 % per Indian Rupee equivalent.