Fame and fortune from scientific fishery

File photo: (left) Mir Abdul Hashim showing a big Chitol fish to District Fishery Officer Abdul Khaleq (third from left) and a machine in operation at one his ponds for supply of more oxygen in the water. PHOTO: AFP

His Mir Fishery at Podurbari village is well known in greater Mymensing district.

Hashim sold Tk one crore fishes last year to earn a net profit of Tk 25 lakh. He expects Tk 40 lakh net profit this year from Tk 1.5 crore sales.

The village is 24 kilometres from Mymensingh town and five kilometres from Muktagacha upazila headquarter.

But Hashim's approach is different from others. He has revived commercial cultivation of local varieties which are gradually going to be extinct. He grows Koi, Magur, Chitol, Pabda, Shol, Mohashol and other varieties.

He cultivates fish in 53 ponds in 30 acres. He grows local varieties in seven ponds and curb species in others.

His system is scientific and advanced than those of others. He has installed machines in ponds to generate more oxygen in water for fish. This helps faster growth of fish.

Hashim had started with cultivation of Pangas in a 50 decimal pond with only Tk 4000 capital in 1992.

Abul Hashim does not buy fish feed from market. He has set up a factory to produce fish feed. He produces 600kg fish feed daily. His farm needs 500kg and the rest is sold. His fish feed is better in quality than those available in the market, Hashim told this correspondent during a recent visit.

Fish farmers from different areas come to him for fish feed. He plans to expand the factory for the benefit of others.

Hashim said Pangas cultivation had earned him good initial profit. But after some years its price fell. So he thought of cultivating local varieties because those are tasty and have good demand.

Hashim said local varieties in his seven ponds are now ready for sale. He sells Chitol, Magur and Mohashol at Tk 200 per kg, and Koi and Pabda at Tk 150 per kg. He expects to earn about Tk 12 lakh from sale of these varieties.

He has transports and sends the fishes to markets in Dhaka. He said he will expand the cultivation of local varieties in 20 ponds.

Hashim says he encourages others to cultivate local varieties because those are tasty and have also good demand abroad.

He is also fulfilling his social responsibility. Unemployed youths are getting practical training at his fish farm.

He said he did not get any assistance from government. Fish farming can employ many unemployed youths if the government takes appropriate steps, he said.

Hashim got award twice as the best fish farmer in Mymensingh district.