Fish Production In Maharashtra's Beed Touches 8510 MT; Big Boost To Local Employment

Beed: Maharashtra's Beed district, a drought-stricken region, where people struggle to get clean drinking water and farmers are in distress due to unseasonal rains, is witnessing a different picture this year.

While heavy rains in March caused a huge loss to crops in the district, the weather change has offered a new opportunity to the farmers here. This is fish production, which has received a major boost from nine rivers and as many as 173 projects in the district is giving an impetus to the fishing industry.

Fish production has now touched 8510 metric tonnes through freshwater fishing. The production has gone beyond the local markets as there is a huge demand for these fish in cities like Pune, Mumbai and Sambhajinagar. This new avenue has already helped 40 to 50 families to increase their earnings.

Yuvraj Jhungure, Domri Fisheries Cooperative Society president said, "This experiment has roped in around 40 to 50 families and generated jobs for a large number of locals. Thus, it has helped us to stop the families from migrating to other towns or cities in search of daily labour. Also, it gives them self-respect as they are not working as daily labourers for contractors."

The fisheries department has initiated 173 projects in entire Beed district. Bhaskar Sanap, joint commissioner, Fisheries department said, "We are very satisfied with the production and expect to increase the production area by an additional 8,510 metres this year. We are now going to fulfill the target given to us by the government."

Sanap further said that success has been achieved by producing fish like Mrigal, Rohu, Katla, Superness Chilapi and freshwater prawns. The citizens of Beed district are also getting freshwater fish in their daily cuisine, which is healthy and cheap, he said.

Fish traders told ETV Bharat that the local produce has a distinct taste, which is liked by people a lot. "The taste of locally produced Morcha from this project is distinct and there is a growing demand for it. I buy local fish and sell it outside our district as there is a high demand for this fish from Pune, Mumbai, Sambhajinagar, Dhule, Jalgaon," Manoj Pable, a fish trader.

Fisheries department has also given insulated vehicles to locals for ferrying fish. "Earlier, I used to buy fish on a two-wheeler and sell it in the cities, but now I have this vehicle. Now I can do business in other towns and cities."

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