Over 1 lakh Kgs of fish sold at Emoinu Fish Fest

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 31 : The 3rd Emoinu Fish Festival was held today at Hapta Kangjeibung in Palace Compound, where over one lakh kilogram of a variety of fish including Sareng, Pengba, and Ngaton, were sold.
The inaugural ceremony of the festival organised by the Fisheries Department was attended by Fisheries Commissioner Haobam Rosita, Director T Phulen Meitei and Additional Director Laishram Jayarani and Joint Director T Romi as chief guest, president and guests of honour.
Speaking to the media, Fisheries Director T Phulen stated that Manipur requires about 64,000 MT of fish annually, of which 40,000 MT are produced locally, while the deficit is sourced from States such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and West Bengal.
Stating that the Government is working to bridge the deficit in the next five to ten years, he said that the vision can be achieved if the wetlands, where fish are not currently farmed, are properly utilised.
He also said that the Government has been taking up different initiatives to promote fish farming through schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Loktak Livelihood Mission.
Over 140 stalls were set up at the festival venue today, and over  1 lakh kilograms of fish were sold, he said and added that 80,000 kilograms of fish were produced at last year's festival.
Phulen said that local Sarengs are expensive in Manipur because they cannot be farmed alongside other fish and are omnivorous.
In contrast, Sareng bought from other States are wild-caught and are comparatively cheaper, he said.