Fish Marketing

The Fish farming has increased manifold in the State in recent years. More than 80% of the village ponds available in the State are under fish culture. Village Panchayats are earning more than Rs. 300 lakh every year from leasing the village ponds for fish farming. In addition to this more than 1500 pond units have been constructed by the fish farmers in their own land. The average productivity of fish is 4209 Kg per hectare as against the national level of 2260 Kg. Haryana ranks 2nd in the Country for per hectare fish production. On an average 40000 tonne fish has been every year in the State from all water resources. The fish farmers have to send their produce to neighboring States and Delhi market for sale by incurring the extra expenditure on packing and forwarding. This is mainly due to the fact that internal fish marketing infrastructure is not adequate to support marketing of fish produce. It is, therefore, strengthening of the post harvest infrastructure in the State has become necessary so that the farmers may get remunerative prices.

In order to provide marketing support to fish producers department has established 3 fish markets at Faridabad, Panipat & Yamuna Nagar. The superintending and supervision work of these 3 fish markets has been given to the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board. There is a provision of vehicles in these markets which are provided to fish farmers for transportation of their produce from pond site to the markets at the concessional rates. In order to further strengthen the marketing infrastructure in the State, 2 new fish markets shall be established at Badhurgarh, Gurgaon during the year 2005-2006 will be operational during 2006-2007. There is also a proposal to establish 2 additional new fish markets at Hisar and Ambala 2006-2007 which will start functioning during the year 2007-2008.

Under the Centrally sponsored scheme, Strengthening of Post Harvest Infrastructure. Govt. of India provides assistance to the Govt. undertakings, NGO's/Cooperatives/Joint Sector/Assisted Sector/Private Sector for establishing marketing infrastructure in the State. The funding pattern of the scheme is as :-

	1) 100% grant (limited to Rs.1.00 crore) to Govt. Undertakings/ Corporations/Federations.
	2) 50% grant (limited to Rs.0.50 crore) to NGO's/Cooperatives/ Joint Sector.
	3) 25% grant (limited to Rs. 0.25 crore) to Assisted Sector/ Private Sectors.

The following infrasturcture can be created under this centrally sponsored scheme:

Developing marketing infrastructure such as retial vending kiosks, aqua shops, insulated/refrigerated vehicles, mini trucks, auto rickshaws with ice box, motor cycles/bicycles with ice box, fish display cabinets, visi coolers, weighing scales, computer units and allied equipments.
Any NGO's/Cooperatives Socities or Private Sector willing to establish fish markets may contact nearest office of the Fisheries Department for availing financial assistance.