IMPHAL, October 24: The Ningol Chakouba `Fish Fair-cum-Firsh Crop Competition, 2014`™ was inaugurated by Commerce and Industry minister Govindas Konthoujam as the chief guest today at Mapal Kangjeibung.
The function also was attended by Agriculture and Fisheries minister, Md Abdul Nasir, as the function president while chief secretary PC Lawmkunga and commissioner of Fisheries, Y Jugindro Singh attended as the guests of honour.
Delivering his chief guest speech, Govindas Konthoujam revealed that Manipur is able to produce only 28,000 metric tonne of fish against the State`™s requirement of 48,000 MT but added that the shortage of 20,000 MT can be met locally for fish farmers in the State have the potential to produce this shortage.
The minister further divulged that the Government has taken up initiative to include import of fish from Myanmar besides the 62 items already approved in the border trade agreement.
The director of fisheries K Saratkumar Singh in his key note address said that the department has been organising fish fair-cum-fish crop competition since 1975 with the main objective to enhance fish production and to ease the shortages especially at the time of Chakouba.
Informing that fish farmers are encouraged by providing cash awards to the maximum fish producers, he said that a cash award of Rs. 60,000 is provided as first prize, Rs. 40,000 as second prize and Rs.30,000 as third prize and Rs. 5000 each as consolation prizes.
Further Saratkumar, opined that ever since the fish fair was started in 1975, this year is the first time that the Chief Secretary of Manipur has participated.
Altogether 90 fish stalls were opened to sell fish brought from across the entire length and breadth of the State.
The fair organised by the Directorate of Fisheries.
Ngaton and Pengba at Rs. 650 each per kg, command the highest price in the fair.