Chitwan. Hari Aryal of Chisahani of Khairhani municipality-12 in Chitwan started fish farming 13 years ago. Seeing his friends rearing fish, he started fish farming by digging a pond on five kattha land.
Despite the initial difficulties, Aryal expanded fish farming commercially. Later, after getting better, he added four bighas of land in 2073 BS and started rearing six species of fish. At present, there are fish in four bighas of land. He sells fish worth Rs 15 million annually. According to Aryal, more than Rs 7 million is earned by deducting expenses.
“Around Rs 6 million is spent annually on food and electricity and other sectors,” he said. His farm produces more than 200 tonnes of fish annually. At present, 10 tons of fish are ready to be taken to the market.
Aryal has focused on production and sales using modern technology in fisheries. The fish produced by him are taken for sale in Chitwan, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal and other cities. Fisheries have significantly improved aryal’s quality of life. He plans to buy more land, build a house and buy a car from his income.
Aryal has enrolled his three children in a prestigious boarding school in Chitwan. He has employed six people in his firm. In the coming days, there is a plan to expand the fisheries business to agro-tourism, he said. “I have joined the poultry sector. There was no good income from it,” aryal said, adding, “I have also invested in lemon cultivation at this time and i plan to take it to agro tourism.” ’
Husband and wife are engaged in fish farming. He has been providing training and advice to other farmers interested in fish farming. Aryal, 45, is not involved in fish farming. He moved to Malaysia in 2005 to earn money and stayed there for 24 months. Aryal, who returned home after earning good money with the intention of doing something in Nepal at that time, went back to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2008.
Aryal, who returned from Dubai for two years, was engaged in traditional farming. Later, he saw fish farming in the market area of Bharatpur. After getting the benefit from this, he started fish farming. He has experienced a lot of suffering in the early days of fish farming.
“I had no knowledge of how much fish to keep in a kattha and how to keep it,” he said. There was a loss for two or three years. Later, he said, it became easier to understand fish farming. In the initial days, Aryal brought fish husks from Bangladesh and started fish farming. At that time, he said, there was a compulsion to hide through the Indian route and bring the straw.
He said that it has become easier to rear fish in Chitwan due to the production of fish straw from the government level. Aryal has been a source of inspiration for most of the farmers of late.
Aryal has invested Rs 20 million in machhapokhari. There are fish in seven ponds. Initially, rs 10 million was spent on digging the pond, he said. Aryal owns 28 katthas of land on lease. At present, more than 1500 farmers are engaged in fish farming in Chitwan. There is a good potential in fisheries in Nepal, he said.
“Instead of going abroad, we can earn a good income by doing productive work here,” he said. He said that nepali fish farmers could move forward if the state gives discounts on food and electricity. “There is good income in fish farming, but the state’s attitude is wrong,” aryal said, adding, “If the country is to become rich, it is necessary to stop the youth and invest in agriculture.” ’
He complained that Nepali farmers were suffering due to non-stopping of illegal import of fish from India. “If the fish of India can be managed, the fish produced in Nepal will easily get the market,” he said, adding, “The state should make a concrete plan and stop illegal trade.” Aryal, who is also the vice-president of the Fish Entrepreneurs Association Chitwan, said that the campaign to control and destroy illegal fish under the leadership of the association has not been fruitful.
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