Vijayawada to host aquaculture festival

‘A chance for ryots to get valuable tips’

Fisheries Commissioner Rama Sankar Naik addressing the media in Vijayawada .

The city is going to host an aquaculture festival -- Aquabiz India 2018 -- from December 21 to 23 at V.R. Siddhartha Engineering College ground.

State Fisheries Department Commissioner Rama Sankar Naik on Tuesday said the three-day festival would bring experts, enthusiasts and farmers in aquaculture from across the country under one roof. where various issues and trends related to the sector would be discussed.

Zoning process

Mr. Naik said aquaculture in the State gained traction in the recent past with more farmers embracing it and even youngsters who graduated in foreign countries were returning to their native places to do aquaculture businesses.

The State government is poised to develop aquaculture on a par with corporate sector as it is contributing to 20% of the State’s GDP. Aquaculture is being practised in about two lakh hectares in the State and zoning process is going on in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Visakhapatnam, and Srikakulam districts where areas are being identified and notified.

Clusters

He said that the State had 121 aquaculture clusters and all the necessary support was being extended to aqua farmers.

About the festival, Mr. Naik said it would help farmers and experts exchange information and learn new practices.