Through the highly-profitable cage fishing, an ingenious method devised by local scientists to boost efficiency as well as production, young farmers have been changing their fortune for the better all over Narsingdi.
District Fisheries office sources said a significant number of young farmers in Narsingdi Sadar, Raipura and Monohardi upazila have been farming Monosex Tilapia fish in floating cages in the Meghna River and its tributaries for the better part of the last decade.
Meanwhile, farmers from Monohardi upazila have been doing the same in the Arial Kha River for the last seven to eight years.
Raihan Sarker of Dattapara area in Narsingdi municipality first started cage fishing experimentally in the Meghna River in 2011 with only four cages.
After getting positive results, he then expanded his venture. Currently, he has 150 cages from which he is able to produce 300-400 kg fish from each cage every four months.
Inspired by Raihan’s success, over 350 young farmers have currently engaged themselves in cage fishing in Sadar, Raipura and Monohardi upazila.
District Fisheries officer said cage fishing has opened up a new chapter in the fisheries sector.
He said cage fishing is highly profitable as a farmer from one cage (10x10x6) can produce 400-500 kg Tilapia fish every four months.
Tilapia is sold at Tk100-110 per kg in the local wholesale fish market, he said.
He added a farmer can easily make an average profit of Tk1 lakh with just one such cage in one year.
The fisheries officer also said that cage fish farming has brought a revolutionary change in the rural economy of Narsingdi district, creating employment for rural farmers and fulfilling the local demand for nutrition.