ICAR-CIBA signed MoU with Aquapreneurs under start-up initiative for technical support on nursery rearing of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) and consultancy services on fish feed processing and production

13^th March 2023, Chennai

ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai is extending technical support to young entrepreneurs for establishing seabass nursery rearing unit and fish feed production unit at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.   

Diversification of brackishwater aquaculture with fin fishes is gaining considerable momentum in India in general and Andhra Pradesh in particular. The major bottleneck in upscaling of seabass aquaculture is the availability of stockable fingerlings and cost-effective quality feeds.

To bridge this gap ICAR-CIBA has entered into a series of MOUs with state governments/ private entrepreneurs for the production of stockable seabass seed and feed. The current initiative is to establish a nursery-rearing facility and small-scale feed mill to process indigenous formulated feeds for aquaculture by signing an MoU here today.

Dr. Kuldeep Kumar Lal, Director, CIBA emphasised that seed and feed are the two major inputs essentially required for the farmers for large-scale adoption of seabass farming and impressed upon the quality of feed vis-a-vis cost of production. He also highlighted the momentum in seabass culture especially scientific farming using hatchery-produced seed and formulated feed.

Shri. B. Mohan Reddy & Shri. M. Kiran Kumar the entrepreneur who signed the MoU opined that there is a considerable demand for quality fingerlings and cost-effective feeds for seabass aquaculture.

(Source: ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai)