Indian Couple Earns Rs 1 Lakh In Single Harvest By Using Biofloc Tech for Fish Farming
A couple in Ernakulam started fish farming to withstand the financial imbalance that happened in their pockets due to the global pandemic.
Identified as Ramitha Dinu and Dinu Thankan, the husband and wife had individual jobs. Dinu ran a small business and Ramitha worked as a part-time French tutor. But during the time of despair they found it difficult to gain a stable income. Therefore, the couple started fish farming, not as an additional source of income but as a full time career.
During the lockdown in 2020, Ramitha and Dinu were introduced to Biofloc technology in fish farming through a family friend. The former deputy director of the Central Fisheries Research centre, Shaji who knew all about this method, guided them into building a tank in their backyard and put in 1,500 Tilapia fish babies.
Ramitha said that withing six months, each fish grew to an average size of 350-400 gm and they sold the first yield for Rs. 300 per kg. Luckily the sale was made withing no time.
Their first customers were their neighbours and people in their neighbourhood. Being on each other’s WhatsApp contact, it didn’t cost them anything to promote their business, and it made it easier for people to reach them for the trade.
The couple also delivered clean fish to their customer’s door steps at an additional charge of Rs 50. It is almost time for the second harvest and both of them are busy with its preparation.
As per the reports, the couple spent around Rs 1.6 lakh to set up the tank and purchase fish and other requirements. They got themselves a subsidy followed and a licence for farming. The fisheries department supplied the fish babies and carefully moved them to the tank built according to the instruction.
Up to 2,000 fish babies can be added to an 8-metre in diameter tank, which is 1.5 feet high. As the farming employs an artificial setup, the whole process of it has to be done very carefully. Constant checking of pH and ammonia levels is also vital for a healthy yield.
What is Biofloc technology?
Biofloc technology is a very simple technique which when performed with interest and care can benefit in a huge profit, said Dinu. He further explained the process and said that crystal raw salt is mixed in the tested water before adding the babies. Then they needed to ensure a 24/7 electricity supply to provide artificial oxygen, for which he suggest installing an inverter with an extra battery. The pH value and ammonia of the water is needed to be checked daily and if any variation occur, then a simple trick of mixing jaggery to the water can prove useful.
According to the farmer, the Tilapia fish has high immunity and can even survive in dirty water. However, its taste would differ according to it’s habitat. “The warmest feedback I received till date is from old people who say the fish tastes like the ones from their childhood, unadulterated and delicious,” Dinu said.
Dinu feeds the fish twice a day. He said adding to his statement, “The food is organic and rich with protein and fibre and I feed the fish at 8 am and 5 pm every day and it is delightful to watch them. They eat a lot within seconds. Friends or neighbours usually show up to catch a glimpse of this routine.”
Ramitha praises her husband’s hard work for the fish farm’s success. “He is the one who spends time looking after them. I often feel surprised at how he spots the minute changes in the babies and immediately takes measures to tackle them,” says the French teacher.
Dinu believes his expertise regarding this business is the result of all the classes he attended by the fisheries department. He shows gratitude to Shaji Chettan, who is also Dinu’s elder brother, and said that it is due to his constant support and advice only the business was possible.
The couple earned a profit of Rs 1 lakh by selling more than 600 kg of fish in the first harvest itself and are now setting up a new tank near the existing one to expand their farming practice.
Kalinga AI