Chennai (mizzima) - As part of an ongoing exchange programme between India and Burma, a 15-member delegation from Burma’s fisheries department wrapped up an eight-day tour of India studying the remarkable aquaculture development in the country.
The Burmese delegation visited the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, and Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh.
The Burmese delegation evinced keen interest in the improved variety of ‘Jayanti Rohu’ fish developed by CIFA through selective breeding techniques that gives 17 per cent higher yield per generation than normal ‘Rohu’ fish.
Than Lwin, team leader and the president of Myanmar Fish Farmers Association during the visit to CIFA said the objective of his delegation’s visit is to learn the best carp (Jayanti) technology available in India to increase fish production in Burma.
He said it would boost their effort to increase both the quality and quantity of fish products without destabilizing the environment.
He expressed happiness seeing CIFA's technology to help boost fish production. CIFA is the second highest aquaculture producer in the world, next to China.
Mr Hla Win, a retired Deputy Director General of Myanmar Department of Fisheries, who is presently the adviser of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation, during the visit, underlined the importance of using superior technologies.
He said, with Burma having invaluable and appreciable fishery resources with diversity in marine and freshwater fish species, it could be effectively exploited with superior technology for raising production capacity.
According to reports, the Burmese delegation later visited a number of aquaculture farms and hatcheries in Kolleru Lake area in Andhra Pradesh, the carp pocket of India.
They had a series of interactions with progressive fish farmers, entrepreneurs and hatchery owners in the area.
The Burmese delegation studied the whole process of fish production and marketing chain in Kolleru, operating through forward linkages of improved post-harvest services like packaging, processing, storage, transport, marketing and backward linkages of providing inputs like seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, feed and aquaculture machineries.
Fish farming in Kolleru Lake area has scripted the success story of aquaculture in the region.
Besides, the Burmese delegation also had some useful interaction with the members of trade bodies to gain an understanding of the whole production and marketing process.
The 15-member Burmese delegation included 11 members from the Myanmar Fish Farmers Association, two members each from Myanmar Fisheries Federation and Aquaculture Division of Myanmar Fisheries Department.
