Stinging catfish farming showing prospect

Three unemployed friends of Sharsha upazila in Jashore have started stinging catfish (shing) farming using modern techniques.

Their farming technique has proven to be very effective and brought them solvency. Seeing their success, many others in the area have also started farming the tasty variety of catfish.

Aftab Hossain, 50, son of late Matleb Biswas of Swarupdah village in the upazila, Abdur Rashid, 45, son of late Raihan Sardar of Wapda canal area of Shibchandrapur and Sohag Hossain, son of Matiar Rahman of the same village, are jointly farming the fish.

Visiting the spot, it was found that they are raising 5,000 fries in their 32-decimal pond. Each of the fries weighs four grams.

They have used modern machines inside the pond to clean fish droppings. The wastes are being used as organic fertilizer in vegetable cultivation next to the pond.

Abdur Rashid, one of the three friends, worked for five years at a large fish hatchery in Belapur, Maharashtra. He gathered the know-how of farming endangered stinging catfish using modern technology. He returned to the country and decided to start his own catfish farm. But he did not have the capital to initiate the venture. Later, he got his two other friends involved in the farming.

Abdur Rashid, with the help of his two friends, first leased a pond.

Using their own technology, they are also producing high-quality fish feed using local ingredients like earthworms, snails, salt, treacle and honey.

Fish farmer Abdur Rashid said that due to lack of proper farming method the tails of stinging catfish bend within two to three months.

"But we are not experiencing the problem due to adopting modern farming techniques and if anybody contacts us, we will help them," he said.

"We have a plan to expand the farming of stinging catfish using modern technology. But it is not possible only with willpower, therefore we seek the help of the government," he added.

Sharsha Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Abul Hasan said that he has already visited the farm jointly run by the three friends.

"I have given various suggestions on the technical aspects of stinging catfish farming. And I have also assured them that if they want to take a bank loan, we will give them full support," said Hasan.