MARKET STUDY ON SOME FRESHWATER FARMED FISH: TILAPIA AND PANGAS (Mekong River Catfish) (Final report)

Prepared by

Javed Anwar March 2011

Contents
Sl. No.
i ii 1. 2 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. .

Chapter/Topic
List of Tables List of Figure/Photographs Important disclaimer Executive Summery Preface Objectives of the Study Approaches adopted for the study Methodology Findings of the study 7.0 Tilapia and Pangas Aquaculture in Bangladesh 7.1 Tilapia and pangas as Farmed species Pangas 7.1.1 7.1.1.1 Source 7.1.1.2 Type Tilapia 7.2.1 7.2.1.1 Source 7.2.1.2 Types 7.3 Hatcheries Seed Production of Pangas 7.3.1 Seed production of mono-sex tilapia 7.3.2 7.4 Nurseries Conventional Nurseries 7.4.1 Over-wintered Nurseries 7.4.2. 7.5 Pangas and Tilapia Seed Market Place Pangas 7.5.1 Tilapia 7.5.2 7.6 Grow-out farming Monoculture of Pangas 7.6.1 Monoculture of Tilapia 7.6.2 Poly/Mixed culture of Pangas and Tilapia 7.6. 7.7 Feed Sources Supplemental feeds for Pangas 7.7.1

Page
4 6 8 10 18 22 24 26 26 28 28 29 27 34 34 41 41 42 45 50 60 60 65 67 70 71 71 73 80 81 84 84

8.

Supply Chain Pangas Tilapia Marketing Consumer Perceptions for Pangas and Tilapia The Pace of Pangas and Tilapia Farming in Bangladesh Value addition Employment in Pangas & Tilapia Business, supply & value chain 7.17 Profitability in pangas & Tilapia Farming & Future Development 7.18 Future development 7.19 Post Harvest and marketing of Pangas and Tilapia 7.20 Export potential of Pangas and Tilapia 7.21 Future of Pangas and tilapia Marketing in Bangladesh 7.22 Economic Performance of Pangas and Tilapia Farming in BD 7.22.1 Specific issues which are explored in the market study 7.23 Expected long term benefit of pangas and tilapia farming in Bangladesh Future Observation Initiatives on Pangas and Tilapia farming for its Sustainability (De-facto recommendation) 8.1 Maintenance of Seed Quality 8.2 Preservation of quality Grade Broods 8.3 Popularization of Over-wintered Seeds of two Species

7.7.2 7.8 7.8.1 7.8.2 7.8.3 7.8.4 7.9 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.12.1 7.12.2 7.13 7.13.1 7.13.2 7.14 7.14.1. 7.14.2. 7.15 7.16

Supplemental feeds for Tilapia Disease Affected Species Cause Identification Prevention /Solution Risk factors Associated with pangas and Tilapia farming Farming Approaches Adopted Production Post Harvest treatment Pangas Tilapia

87 91 91 92 92 92 92 93 94 95 96 97 97 97 99 100 102 105 107 108 109 110 110 111 112 114 118 119 121 121 121 122

8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 9

Quality Grade Feeds Selection of Thrust Areas for pangas and Tilapia Farming Cage farming of Tilapia and Pangas Post Harvest Handling of Live Fish marketing Market Promotion Awareness among farmers to stop malpractice Processing and Export Organized Farming of Pangas and Tilapia Extension of Pangas and Tilapia Farming Information and Knowledge dissemination Women participation in Pangas and Tilapia Farming Pangas and Tilapia Farming Funding services Evening Banking for Pangas and Tilapia Farmers in Intensive Farming areas

123 123 124 128 132 132 133 134 134 135 136 137 138236

Appendix 9.1 9.2 9.3 Appendix-1. Name and address of Pangas Hatcheries produced seeds in 2009-2010 Appendix-2. Tilapia Hatchery in Bangladesh Operational in (2009- 2010) Appendix-3. List of Feed Mills in the country Operated and marketed Feeds in 2009-2010 Appendix-4. Questionnaire used in the Study Appendix-5. TOR: Consultant for Market Study on Thai Catfish, pangas and Tilapia

9.4 9.4

LIST OF TABLES
SL #
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5.

Tables
Year-wise fish production and per-capita consumption in Bangladesh Year-wise production of pangas and tilapia in Bangladesh Fresh water Farmed Fish Species in Bangladesh Division-wise fish spawn/seed production including Pangas and Tilapia in Bangladesh during 2009-2010 District-wise fish Pangas spawn production by pangas hatcheries in Bangladesh during 2009-2010 against total number of fish hatcheries (Dhaka Division) District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country(Sylhet Division) District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Barisal Division wise) District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Rajshahi Division) Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Rangpur Division) District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Chittagong division) District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country(Khulna division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Chittagong division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts in different districts of Bangladesh(Barisal division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Rajshahi division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Rangpur division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Dhaka division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Khulna division) Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Sylhet division) Tilapia & Pangas Producer -Traders response to quality seeds Major Pangas Farming Regions in the Country based on Farming Intensity Tilapia Farming Regions in the Country based on Farming Intensity Total estimated production of Pangas and tilapia in 2009-2010 and projection for 2015-2016* District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Dhaka Division District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Rajshahi Division District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Chittagong Division District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Rangpur Division

Pages
26 27 28 43 46

Table 6. Table 7. Table 8. Table 9. Table10 Table11 Table12

46 47 48 48 50 52 55

Table13

55

Table14 Table15 Table16

56 57 57

Table17

57

Table18 Table 19 Table 20 Table 21

Table 22

58 59 73 73 75 76 76 77 77

Table 23 Table 24 Table 25 Table 26

Table 27 Table 28 Table 29 Table 30 Table 31 Table 32 Table 33 Table 34 Table 35 Table 36 Table 37 Table 38 Table 39 Table 40 Table 41 Table 42 Table 43 Table 44 Table 45 Table 46 Table 47 Table 48

District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Khulna Division District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Sylhet Division Projected production of Pangas and Tilapia based on consumption of feed Farmers Response on Farming of Pangas and Tilapia Factory based Aquaculture Feed/s Production & Sale sales in 2010 Shrimp and Fish Feed Production & Sale sales in 2010 Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Dhaka Division) Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Chittagong Division) Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Rajshahi Division) Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Khulna Division) Pangas and Tilapia Landings in whole Sale Markets in Dhaka Average whole sale a retail prices of Pangas and Tilapia in major markets in Bangladesh Consumers Perception on Tilapia and Pangas as Table fish (figure in Parenthesis indicates fish introduced in the country)

78 78 79 84 85 86 88 89 90 100 102 103 103

Percent (%)of Pangas and tilapia in wholesale and retail markets in Dhaka
General Consumers preferences for Tilapia and Pangas Income based Consumers preferences for Tilapia and Pangas (Rural area) Income based Consumers preferences for Tilapia and Pangas (Urban area) Consumers Knowledge about Tilapia and Pangas in urban and rural area Consumers Knowledge about fast growing farmed Tilapia Organoleptic test on freshness of pangas and tilapia in whole sale and retail markets Local Consumers Knowledge about pangas and Tilapia based valued added products (VAP) Farmers Response to Exporting Panags and Tilapia from Bangladesh

103
104 104 105 105 106 106 107 111

LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
SL #
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. Fig. 7. Fig. 8. Fig. 9. Fig. 10. Fig. 11. Fig. 12. Fig. 13. Fig.14. Fig.15. Fig. 16. Fig. 17. Fig. 18 Fig. 19. Fig. 20. Fig. 21. Fig. 22. Fig. 23. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. Fig. 26 Fig. 27. Fig. 28. Fig. 29.
Fig. 30A. Fig. 30B

List of Plates /Photographs

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Pangasius sutchi), introduced striped catfish (accepted name by Fish Base- 2004) Local catfish, Pangasius pangasius pangas (source:Fishbase-2004) Pangasius bocourti (source: Fishbase-2004) Pangasius conchophilus (source: Fishbase-2004) Pangasius djambal (source: Fishbase-2004) Pangasius kunyit (source: Fishbase-2004) Pangasius kunyit (source: Fishbase-2004) Pangasius larnaudii (source: Fishbase-2004) Pangasius sanitwongsei (source: Fishbase-2004) Farmed red tilapia in Bangladesh (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE) Farmed Nile tilapia in Bangladesh (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE) Farmed GIFT (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia) in Bangladesh Wild tilapia usually found in shrimp ghers (enclosure) in Bangladesh Mono-sex tilapia (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE) Oreochromis andersonii (source: Fishbase-2004 Oreochromis macrochir (source: Fishbase-2004) Oreochromis mossambicus (source: Fishbase-2004) .Oreochromis placidus placidus (source: Fishbase-2004) Oreochromis spilurus niger (source: Fishbase-2004) Oreochromis niloticus niloticus (source: Fishbase-2004) Oreochromis aureus (source: Fishbase-2004) The structure of a conventional fish hatchery in Bangladesh
A low cost fin fish hatchery suitable to produce both Pangas and carp seeds

Pages
30 30 31 32 32 32 33 33 33 35 36 36 37 37 38 38 39 39 40 40 40 42 44

A brood bank of tilapia adjacent to a mono-sex tilapia hatchery A brood tilapia contains fertilized eggs in its mouth and a hatchery staff is about to collect the eggs from mouth of fish. Hatchery staffs segregate fertilized eggs depending on colors. Selected fertilized eggs are incubated in jars with continuous running water in hatchery.
Quality of collected eggs; whitish colored eggs indicates dead larvae inside

51 52
53 54 54 56 61 61 62 63 63 63 64 65 66 66

Hatched out tiny tilapia babies yet to completely absorb egg yolk sac A conventional pangas nursery (similar nurseries are also used for carps Series of Nursing Ponds .. other species
A specialized mono-sex tilapia nursery (initially water should be transparent)

Fig. 31. Fig. 32. Fig. 33. Fig. 34. Fig. 35. Fig. 36. Fig. 37. Fig. 38.

Nursed panags fries in conventional nurseries Nursed panags fingerlings in nurseries ready for sale A nursed pangas fingerling measured by a nursery operator The converted mono-sex tilapia babies ready to be nursed to fry/fingerling stages for marketing Nursed mono-sex fry ready for sell to farmers level Over-wintered nursed pangas fingerlings/juveniles for early crop Over-wintered nursed GIFT fingerlings/juveniles for early crop

Fig. 39. Fig. 40. Fig. 41 Fig. 42. Fig. 43 Fig. 44 Fig. 45 Fig. 46 Fig. 47 Fig. 48 Fig. 49 Fig. 50 Fig. 51 Fig. 52 Fig.53A Fig.53B Fig. 54 Fig. 55 Fig. 56 Fig. 57 Fig. 58 Fig. 59 Fig. 60 Fig. 61 Fig. 62 Fig.63 Fig. 64 Fig. 65 Fig. 66

Over-wintered nursed GIFT fingerlings/juveniles for early crop A makeshift Fish seed Market place in Mymensingh where mostly pangas and mono-sex tilapia are traded A fish seed trading local vehicle is used in Bogra region to carry seeds of mainly pangas to a makeshift market place A permanent Fish seed Market place in Jessore where mostly all types of fish seeds including pangas and mono-sex tilapia are traded A high density panags farm in Bogra region (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner) A high density Tilapia farm in Norshindi region A high density harvestable panags crop in pond A high density harvestable panags mixed with tilapia in pond Sampling in a high density GIFT tilapia farming (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner in Jamalpur)

67 68 69 69 72 72 74 74 80

A high density tilapia and carp farming (a pond of a beneficiary of a PRICE partner at Bhaluka, Mymensingh) High density pangas and tilapia farming together (same as above) Many factories manufactured dry pellet feeds for pangas and tilapia
Aquaculture feeds awaits shipment to agents and dealers for marketing Home made feed use to a high density pangas and tilapia farming Tilapia sampling in high density pond in Bogra (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner) Transportation of live pangas with water in plastic containers Transportation of tilapia with ice in insulated container Pangas are geared to a corner of farming pond using seine net (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner in Trisal, Mymensingh ) Pangas are taken from farming pond using bamboo baskets (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner) A whole sale market of Pangas A whole sale market of Pangas Floating cage farming involving mono-sex tilapia (Picture: Source Aquaculture unit, PRICE) High density rising of tilapia in cages Large sized tilapia may be produced in cages (a beneficiary member of a PRICE partner) Live pangas in whole sale market Live pangas in retail market Fig. Iced tilapia in whole sale market Iced-chilled tilapia in retail market Women engaged in tilapia farming in Jessore area (a beneficiary member of a PRICE partner)

82 82 84
85 87 95 96 97 98 99 101 101 125 126 126 129 129 131 131 135

MARKET STUDY ON SOME FRESHWATER FARMED FISH: TILAPIA AND PANGAS (Mekong River catfish)

1. Important Disclaimer
This study was carried out in 2010 (report writing and part of analysis was carried-out thereafter and it extended up to January when draft report was submitted to PRICE aquaculture unit. There was some comments form Team Leader Aquaculture to reorganize the text and incorporating some new elements that lead the extension of the completion of report to mid March, 2011) to fulfil the objectives of work package offered by PRICE (a USAID project) - A market analysis of the two farmed fish, tilapia and pangus (two imported commercial farmed fish in the country of exotic origin) -which looked specifically at the recognition and acceptance of first growing commercially farmed fish in Bangladesh as cost-effective and popular food fish for masses. This market analysis was conducted for the purposes of the PRICE project by Zaved Anwar in direct consultation with the PRICE project officials in the fish sector (aquaculture, one of the three sectors in PRICE) headed by team leader aquaculture and other long term consultants stationed in Dhaka, Bogra and Jessore. The market research, analyses and conclusions have been carried out based almost exclusively on information and opinions received from interviews from different stakeholders in fish supply chain, actors in production, forward and backward linkages of production and all market actors, key informants, government and non-government organizations, research institutes, and from published documentation. Besides, frequent obviations of the act of brood farming, seed production, nursing, so called over-winter nursing, mono-farming, mixed farming, poly-farming, seasonal farming, harvesting, sorting, storing, icing, packaging, whole selling and retailing involved with these two farmed species was observed and documented. Therefore, although the author have tried to ensure the completeness and accuracy of information used, all readers and users of this study should recognise and accept, by so doing, that neither PRICE, nor any members of its staff or the short term hired consultant (the author) accept any responsibility whatsoever for any loss of pangas or tilapia farming

business or damage of reputation of farmers, supply chain and/or value chain actors associated with pangas or tilapia business incurred, directly or indirectly, by any party, however the loss or damage is caused including as a result of negligence in photographing, writing, reporting, as a result of decisions/assumptions/ recommendations/suggestions taken or actions made by any party on the basis of any information, conclusions or recommendations contained in this study and the study report. In this Conclusions, Recommendations and Opportunities sections (see the preface), the results of the different geographical locations specially in administrative districts found in the body of the report, as well as the results of the report found in hatcheries, nurseries, feed mills, seed market places, farming sites, seed trading market place, grow-outs, farming sites, whole sale marketing, retail marketing, processing factories, have been darn together. The reader should refer to these different analyses/reporting for any specific questions arising from these summary documents.

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2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A fish market study was carried out in Bangladesh during August to December 2010, specially focusing on two commercially farmed species, namely pangas (Mekong river catfish) and tilapia (mainly Genetically Improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) and mono-sex tilapia). The study was done due to the fact that no market study has been carried out on Bangladesh farmed fish, its current status and future potentials as a provider of low cost protein to masses and high prospect of organized farming and sustainability in long run. It is also important to know the up-to-date analysis of the current market situation in the country and the rapid changes occurring in the market as a result of increased population, food habit diversification and rapid urbanization that creates slum dwellers of low income groups in cities and towns. Cities and towns must be fed and ever increasing pressure is creating on rural areas to supply more and more foods. Since, relatively high income group and middle class in the cities and towns are capable to buy different types of animal protein for the family needs poor families rely on low cost fish as their main source of animal protein and lipid supplies. The study was requested by the USAID supported PRICE (Poverty reduction by Increasing competitiveness of Enterprises) Project. PRICE has three component of which aquaculture is most important in terms of revenue earning, important food supplies, food security to fight malnutrition and foreign currency earnings. The main objectives of the study were to determine the current status and trends in the supply and demand of the two important farmed fish species and their forward and backward linkages associated with production and marketing in Bangladesh; assess the basic input supplies for the farming. Besides, the impact of farming of two species as source of nutrients for masses, especially cheap exotic fish, Mekong river catfish popularly known as pangas and high yielding tilapia, its supply chain, production cycles, input manufacturing and supplies, prospect of export and value added product development, project future trends and; assess the implications of the findings to the aquaculture and fisheries sector in the country.

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The study followed various methods to accumulate information. Data and information were collected from secondary sources, interviewing the key respondents using prepared questionnaire, extensive visits to major seed production, nursing and farming areas of the species under study. Surveys and interviews with all actors of supply chain, input producers and manufacturers, forward and backward linkages, retailers, wholesalers government agencies, non-government agencies involves in aquaculture, organized farmings and consumers. Over 300 stakeholders and key-respondents were interviewed in Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Tangail, Pabna, Bogra, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Jessore, Comilla and Noakhali were interviewed and many hatchery, nursery, farms, whole sale markets, retail markets, processing plants were visited and observed.. The study also focused on low to middle income consumers. The gist of results/findings is as follows: 1. In 2001, estimated per capita fish consumption in Bangladesh was 13.7 kg/person. In 2009, it was reported that per capita consumptions increased to 17.3 kg, representing an increase of 31.4%. The increased biomass from fish actually diluted in per-capita consumption due to population boom. 2. Through this study it is estimated that by 2010, per capita fish consumption in the country is around 18 kg/person as total aquaculture production of pangas and tilapia is under represented. 3. It is yet not clear wheatear increases in fish consumptions in the country are in urban, semi-urban areas and rural growth points, where refrigeration facilities are available. 4. The main reason for the increase in fish biomass production is due to expansion of aquaculture where pangas and tilapia has played so far is small but significant role, however sign are there that expanded role of these two species are occurring in coming years. 5. Pangas and mono-sex tilapia has emerged as fastest growing farmed aquaculture species in Bangladesh from nowhere when compared to aquaculture of 3 decades back in the country. 6. The popular farmed catfish, pangas in Bangladesh is usually termed as Thai pangas and often called as/identified as Sutchi pangas (Pangasius sutchi). However, scientifically its should be called as Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. 7. High density fish farming (semi-intensive and intensive) in Bangladesh initiated with farming of pangas and mono-sex tilapia using dry pellet feeds and these two species are prime consumers of milled pellet feed in the country.

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8. It was found that in 2009-2010 roughly 710 fin fish hatcheries (other than monosex tilapia hatchery) were operational and out of those only 231 hatcheries were involved pangas seed production. 9. In Bangladesh total number of mono-sex tilapia hatcheries is around 220 of which 2009-2010 roughly 191 hatcheries were operational and produced fry and fingerling of mono-sex tilapia commercially. 10. In 2009-2010, a total of 64,856 kg of pangas spawn was produced throughout the country by 231 operational hatcheries. Production rate ranged from several thousands kg to as low as 5 kg in a hatchery. 11. In 2009-2010, a total of 191 operational mono-sex tilapia hatcheries in the country combined produced 1430.4 million fry/fingerlings 12. Out of 64 districts in the country, a total of 31 districts have Monosex tilapia hatcheries in the country. 13. In 64 districts in the country there is at least one fin fish hatchery was operational in 2009-2010. However, out of 64 districts only 20 districts had operational pangas hatcheries. 14. Total number of non-specialized operational fish hatcheries in the country in 2010 was 710; out of those Rajshahi division had highest numbers (241), followed by Chittagong (170) and Dhaka (166). 15. District-wise Mymensingh was found to produce highest amount of pangas spawn in 2009-2010, where 53 hatcheries out of 98 operational non-specialized fish hatcheries produced 29,725 kg of spawn, followed by Bogra (49 out of 89 hatcheries) with 24130 kg. Distant third ranked district is Comilla where 52 out of 84 operational hatcheries combined produced 5,667 kg of pangas spawn in 2010. 16. Out of 710 non-specialized operational fish hatcheries in the country, 232 hatcheries were involved in Pangas spawn production together with other fin fish seeds during 2009-2010 17. Fish seed production is usually quantified as volume (kg) of spawn produced in hatcheries. Total fish spawn production in Bangladesh other than mono-sex tilapia in 2010 was 479,062 kg of which roughly 13.5% (64,287) was Pangas spawn. 18. Geographically, Mymensingh district has highest number of mono-sex tilapia hatchery (39) and these hatcheries combined produced 268 million fries followed by Chittagong where 32 hatcheries produced 172 million. 19. Supplemental feeding based high density farming/ large commercial scale culture in the country has initiated with farming of pangas and mono-sex tilapia. 20. Introduction of panags and tilapia in Bangladesh as farming stock in closed fresh water has transformed consumer type aquaculture to commercial farming

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activities and has transformed seasonal aquaculture to perennial economic activities. 21. Combined pangas and tilapia production in the country during 2009-2010 is estimates as 315,485 ton (pangas 253,310 and tilapia 62,175 ton) against estimated production of fish in the country in the same period is about 28, 50,000 ton, of which roughly 50% comes through farming. 22. Projected production of pangas and tilapia in the country during 2015-2016 is estimated to be around 379,965 and 93,263 ton, respectively. 23. It is estimated that out of 253,310 ton of panags produced in the country in 20092010 roughly 199,000 ton was raised utilizing milled dry pellets of both sinking and floating types. 24. Similarly, out of 62,175 ton tilapia produced in 2009-2010, roughly 53,000 ton was produced utilizing milled dry pellets of both sinking and floating types. 25. It is estimated that roughly 63% milled pellet feed is consumed by panags farming in the country and that of 30% feed is consumed by tilapia. 26. Total milled aquaculture pellet feed production in the country during 2009-2010 was 568,370 ton of which roughly 62,000 ton is floating type. 27. Roughly 33,600 ha of closed water bodies, mostly ponds are used for mono and/or mixed farming of pangas and/or tilapia with supplemental feeding in mostly greater Mymensingh and greater Bogra districts, Bagerhat, Norshindi and Naogan and Brahmanbaria districts. 28. There is an indication that landing of farmed fish in general and pangas and tilapia in particular are under represented in government statistics. One reason may be rapid vertical production of these species going unnoticed or under reported. 29. Large scale production of both pangas and tilapia has created opportunities to supply of raw materials in bulk to processing plants for fillet exports, but strong domestic demand and relatively high price of raw materials prevents fillet preparation for export to general markets in European countries. 30. The filleting of pangas and tilapia reportedly produces 50% carcasses as waste that increases fillet prices compared to domestic market price where whole fish is utilized by consumes. 31. Utilization of fillet manufacturing by-product of pangas and tilapia for feed manufacturing may reduce raw material prices for fillet and may open doors for pangas and tilapia fillet export 32. The demand for pangas and tilapia is increasing; most people consider both tilapia and pangas as cost-effective fish though vast majority said they are not buying

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pangas and tilapia very frequently. All respondent said that they assume in future share of pangas and tilapia will increase in Bangladesh diet. 33. 75% of hatchery related people, 65% of nursery operators and 60% of fish traders and 67% farmers respondents participating in the random survey indicated inbreeding is main problem in farmed fish and said that farmers are also now serious about the problem. Most of the four categories surveyed said that quality of pangas and tilapia seeds are deteriorating 34. In a random survey on consumers at fish market, 49% of rural poor and 65% of urban poor respondent spoke positively about pangas and all said that the prefer the fish due to its low price and more meats compared to other species. However, it doesnt reflect the buying percentage of consumers. This simply indicates their revelation/impression about two species of fish as food fish. 35. 80% of all categories of consumers in both rural and urban areas knew that the species is exotic and 91% said that they know the pangas they buy indeed comes from farming. In case of tilapia 45 identified it as exotic and 84% believed that they are eating farmed tilapia. 36. 38-48% does not know whether it is mono-sex or GIFT variety, and half and almost one quarter of interviewed consumer identified the tilapia they purchase is normal or natural. Only 12% new that GIFT is genetically manipulated and 24% know that it is artificially sex changed. 37. 85% of buyers in retail market interviewed never heard about fish fillet and as per users friendly stuffs 95% responded some what ready to cook stuffs like descaled, de-gutted and cut into pieces. 38. 90% retail buyers never heard value added stuffs like fish and chips that could be made using pangas and tilapia as raw materials. 39. 91% of pangas farmers agreed to a point that pangas farming is easiest and all new fish farmers should start aquaculture with pangas to learn tricks on fish farming. Almost all farmers interviewed agreed that only pangas gowns well in newly constructed ponds and may totally dependent on supplemental feeds. 40. Whole sellers response in Dhaka market on percentage of pangas in trade is roughly 8% whereas in several retails markets, retailers response was 4-5% of fish sold in market is pangas. Similarly, whole sellers reported 9% tilapia and retailers said its share is around 5-6%. 41. The main reasons for good sell of pangas and tilapia were price these are considered a cheap fish, and especially for pangas it may come to market in live condition, expressed by whole seller and retailers.

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42. Pangas and tilapia are two farmed species always maintain roughly uniform price level in different retail markets in city/town as sourcing of these fishes are from farms. 43. Supply is considered good for both pangas and tilapia, but climatic condition and supply of natural fish occasionally causes erratic supplies when farmers are forced to stop harvest due to price slide. 44. Farmers in main pangas and mono-sex tilapia growing areas in Mymensingh and Bogra reported market glut occasionally and price slides, however, it appeared that sudden market glut is caused by uncoordinated harvest and marketing by bulk producers. 45. Live pangas and fresh-iced tilapia has only penetrated in Bangladesh markets since a decade earlier, and since retail outlets in Bangladesh have no refrigeration facilities, these two species ensures relatively better freshness among fish sold in the country. 46. The main source of supply of pangas and tilapia in the country is greater Mymensingh, greater Bogra, Norshindi and Naogan region. Small amounts of pangas also enter markets from Bagerhat, Brahmanbaria and Pabna regions. 47. Transport of live pangas is usually done with fresh water in synthetic drums fitted in trucks without any supplementary aeration. 48. Tilapia is iced and transported in locally made insulated wooden or bamboo boxes. The trade of Tilapia is also inter-districts and transport of live tilapia is not possible but iced tilapia is traded in whole sale and retails in fresh condition. 49. Tilapia is a popular, but relatively expensive compared to pangas. However, supplies of pangas are erratic compared to tilapia as pangas usually harvested one crop per year whereas tilapia may be harvested couples of crops with same period. 50. As mentioned earlier, live/fresh fish is targeted at relatively low income consumers, which represent a small proportion of the total market for fish in the country. An estimated 315,000 ton of pangas is produced in the country in 20092010. 51. An estimated 62,000 ton of tilapia mostly those of mono-sex and GIFT (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia) type is produced in the country in 20092010. 52. Roughly more than 80% of mill produced pellet feed (both sinking and floating) is used for pangas and mono-sex tilapia farming. 53. Introduction of floating feeds in high density pangas and mono-sex tilapia farming made farming management easier by reducing soil and water pollution

16

and also reportedly reduced the occurrence of disease outbreaks and fish health risks. 54. Total feed sale in 2010 in the country in 2010 was 568,370 ton of which roughly 11% (62,000 ton) was floating feed and the rest are sinking pellet. Less than 5% of pellet feed was for shrimp/prawn. 55. The market for both tilapia and pangas are usually affected by seasonal landings of natural fish; after monsoon and beginning of dry season when vast flood plains in the country begins to dry up and congregate wild fishes to shallow waters and facilitate easy harvesting. 56. Pangas in general and tilapia occasionally substitute for the high priced fish like hilsa and carps and high priced other source of animal protein like beef, mutton, chicken and eggs. 57. Relatively larger quantity (biomass) of pangas and occasionally tilapia can be bought at the same price of beef, mutton, chicken and eggs to feed at household level. Chicken cannot be considered a substitute of beef, mutton and eggs because it is becoming unaffordable for most low income consumers. 58. Among the pangas and different varieties of tilapia (mono-sex, GIFT, red, Nile, nilotica and Mozambican) neither species not affected the market for others because, to a certain extent, the two products complete in slightly different markets based on different consumer groups. 59. The average difference between wholesale and retail prices of pangas (600g 1kg) and tilapia (standard sizes 3-6 making 1 kg) consumed in rural and urban market, is 15-20% based on proximity from production sites and wholesale/retail markets. 60. In general, supplier to whole sellers pay for transport and whole sellers takes a service charge roughly 3% of total sells for facilitating the sell from suppliers. Farmers themselves seldom supply pangas and tilapia to whole sellers. When they supply, they pay the transportation charge. 61. The main variables affecting market segmentation (the division of the market for a pangas and tilapia into groups of customers with identifiable needs and characteristics) are size of fish, freshness of fish, income of consumers, production sites and location of retail markets. 62. The market for fish in Bangladesh has been rapidly changing and expanding as a result of increased urbanizations, expanding population, decline of natural supplies of fish, supplies of low value farmed fish and increased prices of traditional sources of animal protein.

17

63. The negative point of pangas and tilapia markets in Bangladesh is probably consumer backlash in coming days as greedy farmers over-fed the farming fish with low cost supplemental diets that cause development of repulsive odor in farmed fish. 64. Universally, farmed fish are starved for couple of days to get rid of bad smell in fish resulting from feed, but in Bangladesh instead of stop feeding some farmers over-fed the fish just before harvesting. This is suicidal approach for the fish farming industry not only for pangas and tilapia but for other farming species as well. 65. Main threat of farmed pangas and tilapia is consumers perception based on odor reportedly coming from using chicken droppings in farms. 66. The animal protein is a volatile market in Bangladesh and whilst the trend in fish consumption is clearly rising, the rate of increase in demand is dependant on availability of cost-effective fish like pangas and tilapia, prices of alternatives protein sources. 67. Taken as a whole, the impact of high density pangas and tilapia farming is considered to be positive, because cheaper sources of animal protein are now available to be majority of the poor income families and vertical production increase of the two species has shown sustainable yield for years. 68. Currently, export market of both tilapia and pangas from Bangladesh is almost nil as frozen fishes exported from here are mainly destined to ethnic markets where sizable Bangladeshi people /worker are living. Expatriate Bangladesh always like local wild fishes and both tilapia and pangas being exotic species has little market in abroad to ethnic population. 69. In the present study it was found that fillet of both tilapia and pangas has good prospect aboard in general markets. However, domestic fish demand is high that pushes prices of both pangas and tilapia non-lucrative to exporters. 70. Filleting of fish makes almost 50% of biomasses as waste (carcasses) and automatically price in processing plant becomes double compared to local market. The strong domestic market makes it difficult to procure raw materials for filleting. 71. The author collected information through networking as well as discussion with aquaculture team of PRICE. It study surfaced an interesting discovery; processors in Vietnam and Thailand where fish filleting is a good industry and they are linked with feed mills where filleting waste are used to produce low cost aquaculture or poultry feeds thus minimizing the cost of raw materials by selling the waste.

18

72. It was reported by aquaculture team members of PRICE that as an initiative PRICE assisted to organize a workshop on linking pangas farmers to a fish processing industry. The workshop did not bring any positive result as price offered by the processor was lower than domestic prices of pangas and tilapia. 73. However, strong domestic markets for the two species are a good sign for the expansion of farming of these species for long term sustainability. Strong demand for cost-effective fishes in local markets coupled with population growth and low income groups congregation to urban areas will still crates markets for pangas and tilapia. In the conclusions to the study based report, it is obvious that high yielding intensive and semi-intensive farming of pangas and tilapia as a cost-effective fish for local consumption has very good prospects. Export of whole fish to ethnic markets abroad needs some initiatives to get rid of smell and export of fillets has good prospects despite strong local market, if uses of fillet waste could be commercially utilized. That will lower down the fillet cost significantly. Farmed fish, in particular pangas and tilapia, have changed the national fish market in Bangladesh. In the immediate future, the market for tilapia fish and pangas appears good though unstable specific for pangas, as it is experiencing many changes. The study has shown that the fish buying and consumption patterns for the majority of the low income population are largely driven by price and availability and are remarkably similar throughout the areas sampled. The report concludes that the potential for the expansion of fish pangas and tilapia farming in Bangladesh is good, particularly for tilapia, provided production costs, and therefore price, can be kept low. The results imply that demand can be stimulated for new fish species, provided it is cheap, taking into account that most Bangladeshi consumers have to give price and availability rather than taste, a priority.

3. Preface
On the surface of it, someone might think that being a specieswise fresh fish market in Bangladesh is a pretty simple business: hatchery produces spawns, nursery raises spawn to fry and fingerling stages, feed millers supply pellet feed, input sellers supply basic inputs, farmers raise fish, fishermen harvest, accumulator accumulates, whole seller facilitates selling; retailers sell fish and consumer buy fish; processors made value addition to made uses friendly stuffs for export.

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But, if someone are really follow the fish supply chain; hatcheries to table; hatcheries where live seeds are produced, nurseries where tinny seeds are reared little bigger, farming where fish are raised, farm gate where raised fish are harvested, accumulation and transportation where harvested fish are pooled together with or without ice, whole sale area where fish are auctioned, retail shops where fish are sold to household consumers or bulk buyers like restaurants, jails, armed forces, processing plants, the enterprise is more like a combination of being a hatchery business, nursing business, seed trading business, farming business, feed manufacturing and marketing business, input sellers business, transport business, whole sale business, retail business, fish peddler- a door to door package delivery services. The fisheries sector contributed roughly 4% of the GDP of Bangladesh in 2009. It estimated that some 2 million people fish full time and 12 million do so part time, while the aquaculture sector may involve the equivalent of more than 800,000 full time jobs in production at various levels. Employment associated with provision of goods and services, and with distribution and market may be several times this amount. Fish, in particular, is of great importance to the poor, estimated to supply between 60% and 65% of animal protein needs and to provide important opportunities for income and employment. The fisheries sector has been identified in a series of National Plans as being capable of significant development and generating national benefit. Ambitious programme for growth in output and value have been proposed, based on a mix of increasing access and yields from underexploited coastal and marine fishery resources and on improved output from inland fisheries and aquaculture. But every day, tilapia and Mekong river catfish, popularly known as pangas fish market rises to the challenge with the help of complex supply and value chain team of nearly 50,000 people directly involved and much more of the associates. Throughout year, each day, week, month and season demands for fresh tilapia and pangas fish pour into Fish Market from households, restaurants, student hostels, hospitals, jails, army, processing plants, retail and whole sale markets that has transformed seasonal fish farming into a perennial business in some specific rural areas in Bangladesh. Pangas is by far the most inexpensive fish for rural and urban poor; small sized tilapia is also not very expensive. Pangas is also favors by different cross-segments of people due to its fewer spines, scales-less body and less waste, high lipid content and taste. Children afraid of fish spine always like pangas as their favorable fish. Tilapia is a medium priced small fish affordable by poor and middle class buyers and is getting popularity among farmers and consumers.

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The semi-intensive and high density farms of tilapia and pangas either mono or mixed culture in greater Mymensingh, greater Bogra, Naogaon, Norshindi, Brahmanbaria, Bagerhat, Jessore and other areas receive orders round the year which generates high demand at grass-root farming levels that indirectly signal to farmers and whole sellers a tentative market demand country wide and what geographic area wants most delivery. Each evening truck loaded with huge plastic drums containing live pangas leaves greater Mymensingh and Bogra areas for large market places in cities and towns. The truck picks up live pangas and fresh tilapia unload the stuffs at early morning. When the truck arrives, the market team kicks into high gear, unloading the truck and storing the fish in ice for tilapia and water buckets for pangas. Behind the scenes, farm managers have to update their production costs because fish prices are volatile, changing every day. Mr. Abul Kalam, Present of Trisal Fish farming Business Somity, says, We are living an doing business in situation where nothing is set in advance, get a orders sometimes we supply when strong market persists and prices is higher than our production cost and we wait to sell fish when market has glut or price is sliding or prices are at par with production cost or lower. Similar voices were echoed by Mr. Abdur Rashid of Kahaloo in Bogra like his counterpart in Trisal. Pangas is a hardy species and can live long without feeds though starving causes loss in weight of fish but allows fish to get rid of bad smell arising from feeding supplemental feeds. . Market demand allows farmers to manually adjust the pricing based on production costs, most of the whole sellers and retailers in Bangladesh deals with price fluctuations, newly emerging supermarkets might be one price, but fish farmers and traders also have bear in mind that almost all household based smaller customers actually determine the price of fish. Fish farmers and rural fish traders in the country do not follow net-working to determine the prices. However, wholesale marketers or organized farmers use cell phone to know the market demand and supply situations. Fish farmers say, When it comes to putting the orders together, we have different types of producers: one farmers does tilapia or carps; another does pangas, and so forth. When the tilapia farmer is complete selling his stuffs, he prepares his ponds for next cropping. Fish farmers usually switches from a species to other based on market demand. Large farmers harvest their farm based on market orders. The orders are weighed; ponds with rearing fish is sampled, sorted and harvested and pangas are loaded into a fleet of trucks. The order of delivery changes every day.

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Anyway, tilapia and pangas are two species market of these fishes are expanding though farmers often switches from one species to another based on market demand or anticipation of higher prices. Sometimes supply situation of other animal protein like chicken and beef also effects market situations. Farmed fish (like pangas and tilapia) demand and price is also somewhat dependent on landing of wild fish from natural sources. Both tilapia and pangas are exotic in nature and they are occupying the traditional market of pond cultured carps. Bangladeshis are traditionally likes to eat wild fish and few decades earlier, over 90% of fish used to come from wild sources and pond based stocks; those were production in closed water bodies raised without supplemental feeding. The historical perspective of Bangladesh society to depend on wild/natural fish has already changed a lot. Traditionally, natural fish supply in the country used to come from 250 odd freshwater species dominated by carps and over 400 species of marine and estuarine species dominated by hilsa and catfishes. Now, situation has changed greatly where farmed fish is now replacing natural fish in fish market; however, it is not known the pattern on species-wise. Since farming of fish and marketing is an important economic activity mostly among rural and to a certain extent in urban markets, it is essential to know extent of market dynamism on farmed fish species wise for future planning. In this study, two very important species were chosen for the study; tilapia and pangas, simply because these species are produced in high density with high yield and market expansion is also rapid. Besides, commercial farming of these two species is flourishing in some localized geographical areas from where collection of information/data is fairly easier. Further, international market for these two species is expanding rapidly; Bangladesh has yet to enter international frozen markets with tilapia and pangas fillet, though her southeast Asian neighbors has already doing thriving business with theses species. Bangladesh farmed fish currently contribute almost 50% of total fish production in the country (however, government statistics shows roughly 40%) and aquaculture as a whole contributes significantly to GDP and supplying much needed animal protein supplies to masses in the low-income country to fulfill the nutritional demand to fight malnutrition. As in many developing countries, Bangladesh aquaculture also contributes important and constructive effects on countryside and urban food supply and on income generation and employment, self-employment and opportunistic employments. Nevertheless, ever increasing demand for fish and other aquatic organisms in Bangladesh rural and urban markets; improvised, traditional and not so very efficient supply chain networks after

22

harvest; during transportation and storage causes deteriorations of the fish and related perishable commodity. Thus, the above mentioned factors influence the supply and price of fish and also control farm fish production in the country.

Fish farming or aquaculture being an agribusiness system are being driven the efficient and effective operation of back-to-back. This means that there are both opportunities and challenges, if fish farming is for industrial scale production for market demands or used as a tool to reduce poverty and hunger as a food security options and/or to promote overall economic development of the country through promotion of socially responsible, ecologically sound and environment-friendly sustainable closed water fish farming. Fish in Bangladesh as mentioned earlier is principal source of animal protein (60% or more of national intake) in the country. Beside animal protein, fish alone also provides lipid, highly unsaturated fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins, micro-nutrients like calcium to daily ration of Bangladeshi diets. Freshwater fish farming has a major potential to contribute to increasing incomes, employment, self-employment and opportunistic employment and improving nutrition. Freshwater fish farming can therefore contribute significantly to food security, family nutrition, and poverty reduction strategy of Bangladesh under climatic change scenario. Bangladesh is one of the least developed countries, where though urbanization is progressing with a rapid speed, but still nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas and with scarce land masses for plough, there is an urgent need to fight poverty, and prevent unplanned migration to the cities. The fish farming in Bangladesh reportedly initiated with indigenous carp species; then, high yielding domesticated exotic species were introduced. Among the exotic species, Mekong river catfish popularly known in Bangladesh as pangas and Nile Tilapia and its modified version of GIFT (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia) and transformed version of mono-sex tilapia farming has become more popular among farmed fish as cost-effective and affordable table fish. The traditional pond based low production of fish in Bangladesh has got increasing diversification in recent years and farming systems has greatly improved. Low cost of labor in rural Bangladesh coupled with seasonal unemployments of agricultural labors and small farmers presents a noteworthy opportunity for scaling up closed water based fish farming to attain increased jobs and income for diverse stakeholders; hatcheries, nurseries, grow-outs, input sellers, rural based and unban based traders and processors.

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4. Objectives of the study

The objectives of the assignment is to rapidly assess the current production, inputs supplies for farming and market scenario of the two species and comprehensively at ways to expand domestic production and market and exploring possibility of export markets analyzing secondary information and networking. The objectives thus are, in the principal to identify pangas and tilapia growing regions, input supply sources, supply chain, domestic markets for pangas and tilapia - in big urban market - to assess the acceptability of the farmed produced pangas and tilapia by crosssection of population to those responsible for purchasing it (in other words, the buyers for the retail trade) for the main commercial producers in pangas and tilapia growing regions in the country.

5. Approaches Adopted for the Study

Much has been written about fisheries in Bangladesh and aquaculture as a whole, however, relatively little or less is known about overall market, market trend, farmers understanding, and consumers reactions in urban and rural markets; effects on family based nutrition and export possibilities. However, rapidly growing species based commercial farming of fish is important economic activities in rural Bangladesh. There have been few opportunities to examine the distinct characters or features of species based prospect and potential of fish farming in the country. The overall performance of farmed fish in Bangladesh is vaguely described and the farming sector of fresh water aquaculture is not dependent on a single species as it is found in relation to giant prawn (fresh water shrimp, golda farming) or brackish water shrimp (black tiger, bagda farming). The performance of a commercial farmed species under diverse market scenario across a broad outlook and with a sufficient degree of objectivity is necessary for market study. This study has attempted to take an impartial perspective of two farmed fish species (pangas and tilapia) in Bangladesh those are growing rapidly both in rural and urban markets targeting specially to poorer segment of the population with huge demand that is expected to be increasing. Further, commercial seed production of these species and adaptation of these species to commercial pellet feeds made it easier to quantify the

24

amount produced. As number of farmed species in freshwater fish farming is many, prior scrutiny was probably taken by PRICE to select the target species. PRICE initially has taken attempt for study on two species, tilapia and pangas. Therefore, potential of specific activities of two specific products of fresh water aquaculture is the target of the study. Apparently, the specific reasons for particular developments or trends in two farmed species are probably the first step towards overall market study on fish aquaculture in Bangladesh in future. Wherever the cases, and wherever it was possible, data has been cross-examined, validated with diverse key-informant within supply chain actors of pangas and tilapia. The work was developed and compiled using the following approaches: Review of background documents available with diverse agencies, department of fisheries, different reports by projects, research organizations, different agencies directly working with pangas and tilapia trade. Intensive travels that was permitted under the contract, discussion and interviews with farmers, traders and other supply chain actors. Discussions with other key informants to develop preliminary images, culture pattern, marketing trends, and consumers reactions to interrelate on analyze the projection on two farmed fresh water fish species. Direct conversation with producers, traders and consumers on limited scale for validation exercises to assess production, value, employment and consumption data Tried to develop a key scenarios defining the relative importance and key trends in tilapia and pangas farming in the country based on the financial, distributional and social implications

6. Methodology
Since, at the time of the survey, the farmed pangus and tilapia was visibly different from the main farmed carp species, the task was in fact three-fold:

To assess the degree of assimilation and acceptability for the people associated with the farmed tilapia and pangus alongside the carps and other fish, this, of course, has the same growing areas end up in same markets.

25

Consumers acceptability of famed tilapia and pangas for the sustainability of the farmed business for long run under Bangladesh socio-economic and cultural conditions. As a consequence, to establish the extent to which the farmed tilapia and pangas same biomass as of carps - would be accepted and/or welcomed by the consumers.

In so doing, the analysis ascertained species-wise side by side, the farming and other value chain actors activities in seed production capacity, seed trade, nursing facilities, grow-out farming, feed manufacturing and trade, harvesting, transportation, auction, retailing, optimal market size and the applicable price ranges for sale to the public. The result of this was to demonstrate what size of farmed tilapia and pangas and qualities should be in order to obtain maximum acceptance in its main distribution networks, and the extent to which these can be valorised in the production and sales prices. To conduct the study, questionnaire were made by the consultant and vetted with PRICE authorities; initially with ATM, Akther Hossain Khan and then with Dr. Md. Abul Hossain. Once the questionnaires were approved by PRICE and on the spot inspections were made and interview was conducted sometimes in presence of PRICE staffs and mostly individually. Several sets of questionnaire were made and are included with the report as annexure. Besides findings through questionnaire and interviews to key respondents, corresponding to the final report, the supply chain activities often forward and backyard linkages were also photographed. Besides, while survey was conducted on two fish, the respondents wee asked to narrate their experiences, opinion and prospects of the individual species. Two fish in Bangladesh are exclusively farmed, without any from natural sources (except few tilapias in coastal shrimp ghers), and there are no wild fish of similar appearance, with the exception of a few wild small and tiny tilapias that is not included as market fish. In the study of the safety of pangas and tilapia in whole sale and retail fish markets in mainly in Dhaka City and district towns of Mymensingh, Sherpur, Netrokona, Jamalpur Tangail, Bogra, Jessore, Naogaon and Chittagong city were found some spoilages specially in tilapia and dead pangas, mixed with blood, slime, filth and mud lowering the price of fish and consumers rejections; mishandling after harvest and during transportation.

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The study was based on 20 site visiting and inspecting samples of pangas and tilapia that were traded 40 randomly selected trading houses/aratders. The study found that 2-3% of tilapia samples were spoiled, 20% were mixed with slime and blood, and 8 -10 were mixed with filth and mud. What's more, one-third of the samples, taken from a number of different sites/arats, were poorly packed while transported with ice and local insulated materials by trucks. The study contended that there were abuses in handling pangas and tilapia all along the supply chain from the farm gate to the whole sellers and retailers. But it placed the largest share of the blame at the transportation and handling level. "We clearly know we did not cover the whole farmed fish market in Bangladesh," said Dr. Abul Hossain, Team Leader Aquaculture, PRICE, when he was briefing the consultant (the author) about the study. He said, "We think the study we took is small but indicative enough and reliable enough to show an indication of farmed fish market trend in Bangladesh". The handling of fish, like that of egg, meat and poultry, is largely unregulated by the Government of Bangladesh, and this report bolsters the contention of independent consumer advocacy groups that thanks mandatory aqua-food safety inspection is necessary. Some may think the findings overblown and said a case could not be made on such a small sampling with just two species. Nonetheless, some notable concerned stakeholders, associated with the industry, fish farmers and traders association and processors, acknowledged that the study was "not all that bad as an indicator of the farmed fish conditions in the surveyed areas." The study, which will be submitted to PRICE (a USAID project), looked at initially at two species: tilapia and pangus. The study examined the market condition the two species of farmed fish for its future trend to determine its future market both locally and for export.

7. Findings of the Study

7.0. Tilapia and Pangas Aquaculture in Bangladesh
Bangladesh in recent years has made good progress to increase in fish culture, growing by 5-6 % per year over the last few years, with levels of 1,250,000 in 2009-2010 by

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estimate of the study. More than 300,000 ha of freshwater ponds and more than 900,000 households are involved. However, it is difficult to pin-point the species-wise contribution in farmed fish production. Based on secondary data available in different sources as well as brief survey in pangas and tilapia farming areas and consumption of milled dry pellet used in farming of these two commercial species a rough production figure is estimated. It appears that huge gap in reported and actual production and marketing of these two species exist. When talked to concerned department of fisheries officials they also maintained the view that production of pangas and tilapia is under reported and corrective measures will be taken in future.

Table 1: Year-wise fish production and per-capita consumption in Bangladesh*

Year Population (million) 2001 130 2002 132.9 2003 136.0 2004 139.2 2005 142.5 2006 145.8 2007 149.2 2008 152.7 2009 156.3 2010** 160

Fish production 1,781 1,890 1,998 2,102 2,215 2,328 2,440 (x 000 ton) Production by 712 786 856 914 882 892 945 culture (x 000 ton) Total Per capita 13.7 14.2 14.7 15.1 15.6 16.0 16.4 consumption of total fish (kg/yr) Fish 37.5 39.0 40.3 41.4 42.7 43.8 44.9 consumption per capita, g/day Per capita 5.5 5.9 6.3 6.6 6.2 6.2 6.4 consumption from aquaculture (kg/yr) * Source: Statistical year book and MFL fish fortnightly; ** projected

2,563 1,005

2,701 1,062

2,850 1,211

16.8

17.3

17.8

46.0

47.4

48.8

6.6

6.8

8.9

As shown in Table 1, culture based fish production in the country is expected to cross 1,200,000 ton during 2009-2010. Based on the projected population of 160 million, it is assumed that per capita fish available to the masses will be roughly 18 kg annually. The country indeed producing expanded amount of fish biomass annually, however, population increase does not allows increased amount of consumptions as each year

28

several million new moths needs to be fed. An well come addition to Bangladesh fish production is that only panags and tilapia and to certain extent climbing perch and other some minor species are produced through semi-intensive and intensive farming methods. If, other farming species in the country also follow the trend of pangas and tilapia, then overall production of fish in the country may increase dramatically in future. Table 2: Year-wise production of pangas and tilapia in Bangladesh Species 2006-2007* 2007-2008* 20082009-2010 2015-2016 2009* (Estimated) (Projected) Production (ton) 13,524 32,130 59,474 263,310 349,965 Pangas Tilapia Total 33,576
47,100

66,400
98,530

16,237
75,711

62,175
325,485

108,263
458,228

* Source: Fisheries Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh

The government records shows negligible amount of both panags and tilapia were produced during last three financial years as shown in Table 2. However, the study indicated that roughly 9% fish landed in market is farmed pangas and that of tilapia share to the fish market is 2,2% based on estimated total production of fish in the country is 2,850,000 ton during 2009-2010. There are reportedly, more than two dozen of farmed fish in the country out of reportedly over 250 species of fresh water fish in the country. The author tried to collect the popular, commercial as well as scientific names of the all farmed fresh water species in the country. The table below (Table 3) shows a list of 29 species those are reportedly farmed in Bangladesh commercially. However, commercial hatcheries reportedly produced seeds of 20-25 species commercially. However, reportedly some species with little amount of farming areas collect wild seed for limited scale of farming. Anyway, the study basically focused on tilapia and pangas only. Table 3. Fresh water Farmed Fish Species in Bangladesh Local/Indigenous Farmed Species Local & (English Name) Rohu (Ruhu carp) Scientific name Labeo rohita Exotics/Imported Framed Species Local & (English Name) Silver carp (Silver carp) Scientific name Hypophthalmichthys

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Catla (Katla carp) Mrigal (Mrigel carp) Calbasu (Black ruhu) Ghannya (Kuria Labeo) Sharpunti (Silver barb)
Magur (catfish)

Catla catla Bighead (Bighead carp) Cirrhinus cirhosus Carpio (Common carp) Labeo calbasu Mirroe (Mirror carp) Labeo gonius Puntius saran Clarias batrachus Heteropneustes fossilis Labeo boggut Ompok pabda Mystus cavasius Labeo bata Cirrhinus reba Tor tor Lates calcarifer
Glass carp (Grass carp)

Thai Pangas (Pagas catfish) Tilapia (Nile tilapia) Thai koi (climbing perch) Rajputi (Java Barb) Thai Chiitol (Feather back) African magur (African catfish) Black carp (snail carp) Thai rupchanda (Piranha) Chital (Humped Featherback)

Shing (Stinging Catfish) Gania Pabda Gulsha Bata (bata) Tatkini (Reba) Mohashol Vetki (Burramondi) Total

molitrix Aristichthys nobilis Cyprinus carpio Cyprinus carpio var. nudus Ctenopharyngodon idella Pangasius hypopthalmus Oreochromis niloticus Anabas testudineus Barbobymus gonionotus Chitala chitala Clarias gariepinus Mylopharyngodon piceus Pygocentrus nattereri Chitala chitala

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7.1. Tilapia and Pangas as Farmed Species

7.1.1. Pangas Pangas (Pangasius pangasius) is a native reverie catfish and perhaps once was most priced freshwater fish in Bangladesh, considered as a delicacy among all Bengali specking community all over the world. The fish is known to breed in estuary and can tolerate certain degree of salinity. However, its life-cycle is not fully understood yet under Bangladesh conditions. Unfortunately, landing of this valuable species from wild was steadily declining for several decades. Several attempts were taken in Bangladesh for its induced spawning in captivity, but failed that hindered its farming. In late 1980s a similar catfish popularly known as Thai pangus (initially termed as Pangasius sutchi), originated from Mekong river and a popular farmed species in south East Asian countries 30

were imported to Bangladesh. All over Bangladesh the introduced catfish of Thai origin is known as by its old scientific name Pangasius sutchi, specifically among academic circle, but elsewhere especially in Fish base-2004 the correct name the fish has been reported as Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. In our rest of the document the species will be called as P. hypophthalmus, whenever it is necessary. The photograph of the fish is shown in Fig.1. 7.1.1.1. Source: The Mekong river catfish (P. hypophthalmus) was brought from Thailand to Bangladesh as test animal to do its induced spawning to learn more about riverine catfishs breeding techniques. However, the domesticated catfish soon become culture species in Bangladesh. The few specimens of hypophthalmus pangas were brought to Bangladesh were reportedly gifted to Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) and Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU), Faculty of Fisheries. Reportedly, both organizations successfully artificially induced the fish for seed production. As the seed production procedure of the species is almost similar to those of carp species, it was easy to artificially induce them to breed. Commercial hatcheries also soon procured the seeds of pangas and by early 1990s the species become popular farmed species in the country. The pangas reportedly has high fecundity (ability to produce eggs by female individual) and commercially hatcheries has incentives for mass production of pangas seeds.

Fig. 1. Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Pangasius sutchi), introduced striped catfish (accepted name by Fish Base-2004)

31

Anyway, the appearance of the introduced catfish (exotic species) may be vetted with local riverine catfish (Pangasius pangasius) shown in Fig. 2. Though Pangasius is known as local riverine catfish of Bangladesh but it is reportedly widely distributed in south East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. However, Pangasius catfish is not a commercial culture species in Bangladesh or in South-East Asian courtiers. Bangladesh reportedly failed to domesticate the species for seed production and mass farming and introduced hypophthalmus catfish in the country as a substitute as riverine pangas is considered as a prized fish in Bangladesh.

Fig. 2. Local catfish, Pangasius pangasius pangas (source: Fishbase-2004)

The Mekong river catfish, pangas was introduced to Bangladesh in late 1980s after repeated failure of artificial seed production of local pangas. The Mekong river catfish popularly known as Thai Pangas soon got popularization in seed production, nursing and farming. Reportedly to the beginner pangas farming is relatively easy, as stocking and supplemental feeding regularly ensures good crops, further scarcity of dissolve oxygen does not hamper pangas farming as the species has the ability of gulping that ensures oxygen supply. The survival of pangas in grow-out is almost 100% and that makes farming management easier. Sampling and biomass determination for pangas is easy as well. The author is not a biologist, however while conducting the study occasionally with PRICE aquaculture team members, the author had opportunities to observe farmed hypophthalmus pangas in farms and markets; live and dead, however, the farmed species in the country looks vey similar to other pangas species of south East Asian region as shown in Fig. 3-5.

32

Fig. 3. Pangasius bocourti (source: Fishbase-2004)

It is not clear whether introduced pangas popularly known as Thai pangas is genetically corrupted pangas of hypothalamus with other species or not. When discussed with aquaculture team members of PRICE they said that genetic study on the species reportedly done at Bangladesh Agriculture University couple of years earlier and they pointed out that genetic corruption reportedly occurred in pangas currently farmed in Bangladesh under the name of Thai pangas. Anyway, to a commoner like the author the farmed pangas in Bangladesh has some similarity in external appearances to the specimens shown Fig. 1, 3, 4 & 5. Other Thai specimen shown in Fig. 6-9 does not show any similarity with farmed pangas in the country.

Fig. 4. Pangasius conchophilus (source: Fishbase-2004)

33

Fig. 5. Pangasius djambal (source: Fishbase-2004)

Fig. 6. Pangasius kunyit (source: Fishbase-2004)

Fig. 7. Pangasius kunyit (source: Fishbase-2004)

34

Fig. 8. Pangasius larnaudii (source: Fishbase-2004)

Fig. 9. Pangasius sanitwongsei (source: Fishbase-2004)

7.1.1.2. Types: Pangas as mentioned earlier is a fresh water catfish, belongs to Pangasiidae (shark catfishes, as its morphology has similarity with sharks) family under the order of Siluriformes (catfishes) in taxonomic strata of fish. Pangasius sutchi has roughly reddish muscle but its close relative Pangasius hypopthalmus has white meat and popular in frozen fish market. Bangladesh is producing huge amount of sutchi pangus whereas Vietnam is producing huge amount of hypopthalmus pangus, thus occupies most of the fillet market of catfishes. 7.2.1. Tilapia

35

Tilapia is also an exotic species like he Mekong river catfish (P. sutchi) was initially brought from Africa in early 1950s. Bangladesh the then East Pakistan, had experiences of mixed culture of indigenous carps, spawn, fry and fingerling of those were used to collect from rivers, an uncertain sources, where carps used to breed seasonally in monsoon only . At that time tilapia was considered as a miracle species as it breeds round the year in closed water bodies and assumed that pond based fish production will get a boost by introducing tilapia. However, the domesticated Mozambican tilapia soon became a culture hazards in Bangladesh. The species though was successful to breed round the year but pond eco-system was not able to provide sufficient natural foods to sustain a huge population. It usually produces numerous mouths but a little biomass for human consumptions. Currently, Bangladesh fresh and brackish water eco-system reportedly harbours several varieties of tilapia those were legally or illegally introduced to the country. While conducting the study and frequently visiting fish markets and tilapia farms, the author and some of the aquaculture team members of PRICE were also puzzled to observe many types of tilapia available in the country. No doubt all tilapia available in Bangladesh are introduced as exotic species. It is not clear whether all tilapias are directly introduced from its source of origin (Africa) or came via third countries. It is reported that GIFT variety of tilapia were introduced through the than ICLARM (currently known as World Fish Centre) to Bangladesh from Philippines. However, all varieties of tilapia available in Bangladesh is not is not commercial culture species. Currently GIFT and mono-sex tilapia has become commercial farmed species in the country. The author down-loaded some picture of tilapia from inter-net and also collected some pictures from aquaculture team members of PRICE to compare those marketed or farmed tilapia in the country. The closely obverted farmed and so called wild tilapia being marketed or harvested from farms and examined the external appearances and discovered that the available specimens in the country is so varied that they resembles different species identified the fishbase-2004. Some pictured of available tilapia I Bangladesh and those pictured at their source of origin are shown in Fig. 10-21. The farmed and free tilapia in Bangladesh natural ecosystem looks very similar to some tilapia species available in their source of origin. It is important to maintain pure strain of any farmed species to maintain good productivity in a sustainable manner for a long time. While talking to different mono-sex hatcheries in the country most of them reported that that they either imported the strain from Thailand or simply domesticated the available

36

GIFT in Bangladesh in their brood banks adjacent to hatcheries. It may be reported that all tilapia hatcheries in the country in-fact are mono-sex hatcheries where all males are produced.

Fig. 10. Farmed red tilapia in Bangladesh (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE)

Fig. 11. Farmed Nile tilapia in Bangladesh (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE)

37

Fig. 12. Farmed GIFT (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia) in Bangladesh (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE)

Fig. 13. Wild tilapia usually found in shrimp ghers (enclosure) in Bangladesh (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE)

38

Fig.14. Mono-sex tilapia (source: Aquaculture team, PRICE)

Fig.15. Oreochromis andersonii (source: Fishbase-2004)

39

Fig. 16. Oreochromis macrochir (source: Fishbase-2004)

Fig. 17. Oreochromis mossambicus (source: Fishbase-2004)

40

Fig. 18.

Oreochromis placidus placidus (source: Fishbase-2004)

Fig. 19. Oreochromis spilurus niger(source: Fishbase-2004)

41

Fig. 20.

Oreochromis niloticus niloticus (source: Fishbase-2004)

Fig. 21.

Oreochromis aureus (source: Fishbase-2004)

Partial success of Nile tilapia farming under Bangladesh conditions with low cost supplemental feeding, introduced tilapia in Bangladeshi dining tables occasionally. GIFT

42

(Genetically Improved farmed Tilapia) tilapia also breed round the year but grows faster when quality grade supplementary fees are used but very often creates farming hazards as planned farming is quite difficult due to increased number of small tilapia in farming water. To control baby tilapias in farms, mono-sex tilapia has been developed commercially in Bangladesh during last couple of years and soon it became a very popular farmed species. It contains more flesh, could be raised 2-3 crops/year and also a suitable species for cage farming in the country.

7.2.1. 1. Source Initially, Oreochromis mossambicus (at that it was known as Tilapia mossambicus) were imported to Bangladesh from some African countries. Later in early days of Bangladesh, in 1970s Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niliticus (at that it was known as Tilapia niliticus) was also introduced through importing from Egypt by directorate of fisheries of Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Then GFT variety of tilapia was introduced from Philippines through ICLARM. The mono-sex tilapia was developed in Bangladesh following the techniques developed elsewhere. To produce mono-sex seeds both GIFT and some other varieties developed AIT (Asian Institute of technology) and commercial Thai farms were imported by the private sectors. 7.2.1. 2. Types The Mozambican tilapia did not perform well under Bangladesh conditions and it was never used as farmed species sincerely. However, tilapia became partially popular farmed species when the Nile tilapia was introduced. However, commercial farming breakthrough was achieved when GIFT varieties of tilapia was imported to Bangladesh from Philippines where it was developed by the then ICLARM (International Centre for Living Aquatic Resource Management) HQ in Manila. The HQ of ICLARM was then shifted to Penang, Malaysia and now the organization is currently known as World Fish Centre (WFC). Using the GIFT as base resources, mono-sex tilapia was later developed as all male individuals in a stock. Mono-sex seed production is a one time seed for a crop. Besides GIFT, so called super tilapia and AIT tilapia were also widely used in the country to produce mono-sex seeds.

43

7.3. Hatcheries
In general there are two types of fresh water fin fish hatcheries exist in Bangladesh; there is no brackish water or salt water commercial fin fish hatcheries in the country. Out of two types of hatcheries one is induce spawning types where fishes, both male and female individuals are usually injected with hormones and then they are either allowed to spawn in spawning tanks, or pressed to release ova and semen and mechanically mixed together to facilitate fertilization. In case of spawning in tanks technicians closely observe the breeding process and quickly collect fertilize eggs by siphoning and rear them initially in hatching and then in nursing tanks Fig. 22 shows a traditional fin fish hatcheries in the country. These types of hatcheries are capable of producing different types of fish seed production including pangs. However, tilapia being a fresh water fin fish is capable to produce seeds under captive conditions, unlike all other fresh water farmed species in the country, and so no normal tilapia seeds are produced in general hatcheries. Specialized mono-sex tilapia is usually produced through specialized hatcheries.

Fig. 22. The structure of a conventional fish hatchery in Bangladesh

44

Table 4. Division-wise fish spawn/seed production including Pangas and Tilapia in Bangladesh during 2009-2010
No. of Hatchery Fish group-wise production (kg) Indian Exotic Pangas Others Major Carps Carps 54041 4502 43663 2743 30,758 16 735 0 Total Fish spawn Production (kg) 129368 7278 Tilapia Fry production (Numbers)
Hatchery Fry/ fingerling

Division

Dhaka Sylhet Chittagon g Barisal Khulna Rajshahi & Rangpur Total

166 17

69 2

436.4 16

170 35 81

43918 20334 44419

18106 9450 31948

7800 25 3580

342 0 1389

70396 29844 81417

78 5 24

716.9 23 142.1

241 710

70903 238117

64890 170800

24,715 66,894

656 3,122

161405 479,708

13

96

191 Percent (%) 49.7 35.6 13.9 0.7 100

1430.4

It was found that throughout Bangladesh there were roughly 710 fin fish hatcheries operation during 2009-2010 (Table 4). Total fish spawn production in 2009-2010 were found to be 479,708 kg of which Indian major carps dominated the list followed by exotic carps. Pangas seed production occupied roughly 14% of the total as shown in Table 4. As mentioned earlier, mono-sex tilapia seed production is not recorded as spawns, instead the seed produced as mono-sex by hormone treatment is recoded as individual fry or fingerlings. In 2009-2010, a total of 191 operational mono-sex tilapia hatcheries combine produced roughly 1430 million small tilapia ready to release to ponds.

45

Fig. 23. A low cost fin fish hatchery suitable to produce both Pangas and carp seeds

The secondary data collection and analysis as well as data verification by randomly selected few hatcheries in Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Tangail, Bogra, Jessore, Naogaon and Jessore areas indicated that there are roughly over 700 operational fin fish hatcheries in the country during 2009-2010, as shown in Table 4. It may be mentioned that almost all seed of farmed tilapia in Bangladesh are currently coming from specialized tilapia hatcheries where tiny baby tilapias are hormone treated to convert them all males and production and marketing figures are usually documented in numbers. The GIFT variety of tilapia those are in farming usually comes from ponds and not from hatcheries and thus is not included as hatchery produced seed. Anyway, their numbers are not that significant. 7.3.1. Seed Production of Pangas In case of pangas no natural breeding occurs in farming ponds unlike tilapia and certain species of carps. Most of the hatcheries artificially induce the broods (adult and ripe male and female fish) by injecting hormones. Reportedly, hormones are collected from pituitary glands (PG) of other fishes. The preserved PG is commercially available. Other 46

source of commercially available hormones is called HCG (Human gonodotropin hormone) that is mostly imported and readily available. The hatchery technicians examine both injected male and females genital organ and when finds they are ripe to release ova and semen technicians press the belly of the fish that allows both males and females to release semen and ova those are then mixed mechanically for fertilization. Anyway, after injection of hormones pangas species are manually manipulated to release eggs and semen. The released semen and eggs then mixed together for artificial fertilization. In pangas hatcheries, after spawning broods are removed and fertilized eggs are usually shifted to larval rearing tanks and speedily sold to nurseries for further rearing to fry stages. The spawn after transferring from hatching and temporary rearing tanks are shifted to nurseries where intensive cares are taken to convert them into fry stage and some nurseries reared up to fingerling stages The pangas has high fecundity and reportedly they produce 20-30% of their body weight of ova at a time. The total numbers of hatcheries in Bangladesh producing pangas spawn are shown in Table 5-11. As show in Table 5, total number of operational hatcheries in Dhaka division in 2009-2010 is 175. Out of these hatcheries roughly 34 of hatcheries are involved in pangas seed production. This is interesting to note that out of 17 districts in Dhaka division all districts have 1 to 98 hatcheries operational in 2009-2010. However, only hatcheries in 5 districts in fact involved in production of pangas seeds. Mymensingh in Dhaka division registered highest number of hatcheries (53) involved in pangas see production. More than 50% of hatcheries in Mymensingh produce pangas seeds together with other fish seeds.
Table 5. District-wise fish Pangas spawn production by pangas hatcheries in Bangladesh during 2009-2010 against total number of fish hatcheries (Dhaka Division) SL# Name of Number of Number Amount of Tentative Expected Involved with Pangas Seed number number of Districts Hatcheries Pangas Seed Production Baby fry/ production (spawn, kg) (million) fingerlings (million) 98 53 29,725 14863 5945 1 Mymensingh 4 2 193 97 39 2 Kishorgonj 3 0 0 3 Netrakona 7 2 180 90 36 4 Jamalpur 7 0 0 5 Sherpur 6 0 0 6 Tangail 1 0 0 7 Dhaka

47

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Total

Narayanganj Manikgonj Narshingdi Gazipur Munshigong Faridpur Shariyatpur Gopalganj Madaripur Rajbari

1 4 3 11 1 10 2 4 4 9 175

0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 60

0 0 260 0 0 0 0 0 0 400 30,758

130 200 15379

52 80 6152

In Dhaka division, a total 30,758 kg of pangas seeds were produced in 2009-2010 through 60 pangas hatcheries. Almost 90% panags hatcheries in Dhaka division is located in Mymensingh districts. While taking to fish seed traders association members at Mymensingh, they reported that Mymensingh and Bogra supplies most of pangas seeds used for farming in the country.

Table 6. District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Sylhet Division) SL# Name of Number of Number Amount of Tentative Expected Involved Seed number number of Districts Hatcheries with Production baby fry/fingerlings Pangas (spawn, (million) (million) Seed kg) production 1 Sylhet 2 2 16 8.0 3.2 2 3 4 Shunamgonj Moulovhirbazar Hobigonj Total 6 4 6 17 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 3.2

In Sylhet division aquaculture as a whole is lagging far behind compared to other regions. While talking t concerned people associated with GOB extension services as well as fish seed traders and BFRI staffs as well as PRICE aquaculture team members, it was reported that Sylhet is situated at low lying areas where many natural depressions

48

popularly known as hoars exists. The hoars are good source of wild fish supplies and people of Sylhet is pond of eating wild fish and aquaculture has not flourished there compared to other parts of Bangladesh. Anyway, Sylhet division is also small having only 4 districts. All four districts of the division combined has only 17 fin fish hatcheries. Out of 17 fin fish hatcheries, only two hatcheries produces few amount of pangas spawns as shown in Table 6.

Table 7. District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Barisal Division)
SL # Name of Districts Number of Hatcheries # involved in Pangas Seed production 0 1 0 0 0 0 Amount of Spawn ( kg) 0 25 0 0 0 0 Tentative # of baby Pangas (million) 0 12.5 0 0 0 0 Expected # of fry/fingerlings (million) 0 5 0 0 0 0

1 2 3 4 5 6

Barishal Bhula Jhalokathi Borguna Patuakhali Pirojpur

17 7 2 1 8 0

Total

35

25

12.5

Similar to Sylhet division, Barisal division also have comparatively few hatcheries. With 6 districts have a total of 35 fin fish hatcheries and out of all fin fish hatcheries only one hatchery produces negligible amount of pangas spawn as shown in Table 7. Barisal like Sylhet division is not famous for fish farming as the division is situated at southern parts of Bangladesh crossed by many rivers and their tributaries making it a suitable area for natural fish supplies. Besides, district of Barisal division is located near to bay of Bengal also a good source of natural fish from salt water. Out of 35 fin fish hatcheries in this division, only one hatchery produced 12.5 kg spawn in 2009-2010.
Table 8. District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Rajshahi Division)
SL # Name of Districts Number of Hatcheries # involved in Pangas Seed Amount of Spawn Tentative # of baby Expected # of fry/fingerlings

49

production 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rajshahi Bogra Joypurhat Chapai Nababganj Naogan Natore Pabna Sirajgonj 18 89 15 2 24 9 14 10 2 49 15 0 0 0 1 0

( kg) 150 24130 3314 0 0 0 300 0

Pangas 75 12065 1657 0 0 0 150 0 30 4826 663 0 0 0 60 0

Total

181

67

24,580

13,947

5579

Table 9. Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Rangpur Division

SL # Name of Districts Number of Hatcheries # involved in Pangas Seed production 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Amount of Spawn ( kg) 0 0 0 5 0 130 0 0 Tentative # of baby Pangas 0 0 0 2.5 0 65 0 0 Expected # of fry/fingerlings

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Rangpur Kurigram Lalmonirhat Nilfamari Gaibandha Dhinajpur Thakurgaon Panchagar

12 10 5 9 12 15 3 4

0 0 0 1 0 28 0 0

Total

70

135

67.5

29

Table 8 and Table 9 shows total number of fin fish hatcheries in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, respectively. In Rajshahi division number of districts are 11 and combined all these districts have 181 fin fish hatcheries. Out of 181 fish hatcheries, 67 of these hatcheries were involved pangas seed productions together with other fin fish seeds during 2009-2010.

50

Table 10. District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Chittagong division)
SL # Name of Districts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Comilla Brahman baria Chandpur Noakhali Feni Lakshmipur Chittagong Coxs Bazar Rangamati Khagrachhori Bandar ban Number of Hatcheries 84 34 19 12 24 11 5 1 1 1 1 Number Involved with Pangas Seed production 52 28 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Amount of Seed Production (spawn, kg) 5667 1838 15 0 280 0 0 0 0 0 0 140 0 0 0 0 0 0 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tentative number baby 2783.5 917 7.5 Expected number of fry/fingerlings 1113.4 367 3

Total

11

170

85

7,800

3848

1539.4

Total 67 hatcheries were found to produce pangas spawn of 24,580 kg (Table 8). As mentioned earlier, Bogra is one of the two districts producing large amount of pangas spawn is located in Rajshahi division. Surprisingly, the adjacent district of Bogra, the Naogaon district had no hatchery producing pangas spawn tough the districts is known as a famous pangas growing areas in the country. It was revealed through the study that Naogaon being adjacent to Bogra a prime producer of pangas seeds established many pangas nurseries and sells fry and fingerlings of pangas through fish seeds traders. In Rangpur division there are 8 districts and combined all these districts have 70 fin fish hatcheries (Table 9). However, all of these hatcheries produced most non-pangas fin fishes during 2009-2010. Only two hatcheries, one in Nilfamari another in Dhinajpur produced small amount of pangas spawns during the investigated period. One hatchery in Nilfamari in fact, produced only token (5 kg) amount of spawn.

51

The particulars of Chittagong division based hatcheries are presented in Table 10 and those in Khulna division are shown in Table 11.
Table 11. District-wise Fish hatcheries different districts in the Country (Khulna division)
SL # Name of Districts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total Jessore Jhenaidah Magura Narial Kushtia Maherpur Chuadanga Satkhira Khulna Bagerhat 10 Number of Hatcheries 35 4 1 0 19 4 0 15 3 0 81 Number Involved with Pangas Seed production 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Amount of Seed Production (spawn, kg) 3,579 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3,579 Tentative number baby 1789.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1789.5 Expected number of fry/fingerlings

715.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 715.8

Chittagong division has significant number fin fish hatcheries involved with pangas seed production during 2009-2010, out of 170 fin fish hatcheries exactly 50% (85) hatcheries were engaged to produce pangas seeds together with other fin fish seeds (Table 10). The 85 hatcheries combined produced 7,800 kg of spawn in 2009-2010. Most of the hatcheries involved in pangas seed production in Chittagong division is located in Comilla and Brahmanbaria districts as shown in Table 10. In Khulna division there are 81 fin fish hatcheries, however, only 14 of these hatcheries were involved to produce panags seeds in 2009-2010. Anyway, the 14 hatcheries of the division is located in Jessore and all hatcheries in Jessore combined produced 3,579 kg of pangas spawn as shown in Table 11. 7.3.2. Seed Production of Mono-sex Tilapia Mono-sex tilapia hatchery does not follow the similar process of seed production like pangas and other fin fishes mentioned earlier. All fin fish hatcheries needs brood fish for their hatcheries for seed productions, but not all fin fish hatcheries maintain brood banks

52

in the hatchery premise.

Fig. 24. A brood bank of tilapia adjacent to a mono-sex tilapia hatchery

However, unlike pangas and other fin fish hatcheries all mono-sex hatcheries must maintain brood banks in their hatchery premise or in areas under their control. Mono-sex tilapia hatcheries does not induce the broods to breed or spawn, instead they collect fertilized eggs from mother tilapia, allow to hatch those in hatcheries and treat them with male hormone starting from fist feeding. Tilapia breeds naturally in closed water bodies several times in a year and they do not need induced breeding. However, excessive breeding by tilapia in farms creates management problems with numerous mouths of different sized fish that necessities mono-sex farming of tilapia. Since sex differentiations at early stage are difficult and segregations of thousands of same sized fish are a hazard farmers feel comforts to use mono-sex seeds coming out of hatcheries. Table 12- 17 shows number of mono-sex tilapia hatcheries division-wise in the country. The Tables for each division also shows district-wise mono-sex hatchery distributions. The tables also shows total number of fry and fingerlings produced in each districts during 2009-2010.

53

In Chittagong division, there are a total of 78 mono-sex tilapia hatcheries most of those (32) are located in Comilla district, followed by Coxs Bazar with 13 and Noakhali with 12 hatcheries. Combined total of 78 hatcheries in the division is 716.9 million fry and fingerlings as shown in Table 12.
Table 12: Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and in different districts of Bangladesh (Chittagong division) seed production

Sl. No.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Districts
Brahmanbaria Chandpur Chittagong Comilla Cox's Bazar Feni Lakshmipur Noakhali Rangamati

No. of Hatcheries
2 7 8 32 13 1 2 12 1

Seed Production (Million)

12 52 63 171.8 318 20 7.1 70 3

Total

78

716.9

Fig. 25. A brood tilapia contains fertilized eggs in its mouth and a hatchery staff is about to collect the eggs from mouth of fish.

54

Fig. 25 shows a brood tilapia with fertilized eggs in its mouth. It was reported to the author that male tilapia assist to prepare nest for females to lay eggs and then he fertilized the eggs in nest. After fertilization, female groom the fertilized eggs to hatch within couple of days. This process is natural for tilapia. In the process, male female ratio usually maintained at 50:50 level. In mono-sex hatcheries therefore, it is mandatory to maintain brood banks to collect fertilized eggs periodically and a certain numbers of fertilized eggs are needed to treat tem with hormones at fist feeding to couple of days. The collection of fertilized eggs from mouth of mother tilapia does not necessarily ensure sufficient number of similar staged metamorphosed eggs. If, similar staged of metamorphosed eggs are not pooled together, it will not ensure time-bound hatching from a batch. Therefore, hatchery staffs segregate eggs of different metamorphosed stages and pooled them separately. The stages of metamorphosis are detected with colors.

Fig. 26. Hatchery staffs segregate fertilized eggs depending on colors.

55

Fig. 27. Selected fertilized eggs are incubated in jars with continuous running water in hatchery.

Fig. 28. Quality of collected eggs; whitish colored eggs indicates dead larvae inside

56

The performance of eggs in mono-sex tilapia production is reportedly based on quality of fertilized eggs being collected. If there are white eggs that is an indication that all eggs are not properly fertilized and discard of the lot reportedly profitable. Fig. 28 shows some whitish eggs those will not hatch and better to discard.
Table 13: Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Barisal Division)

Sl. No.
1 2

Districts
Barishal Patuakhali

No. of Hatcheries
2 3

Seed Production (Million)

12 11

Total

23

Table 13 shows presence of mono-sex tilapia hatcheries in Barisal division. There are only 5 mono-sex hatcheries in the division and these hatcheries are located in two districts only. That means other 4 districts of the division has no mono-sex hatcheries and probably depends on other hatcheries for supplies. However, it was observed that other fin fish hatcheries are also few in the division.

Table 14 : Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Rajshahi Division)

Sl. No.
1 2 3 4 Total

Districts
Rajshahi Bogra Natore Pabna

No. of Hatcheries
3 2 2 3 10

Seed Production (Million)

12 11 10 35 68

A total of 10 mono-sex tilapia hatcheries in 2009-2010 were operational in Rajshahi division in its four districts. The combined production of mono-sex tilapia seeds in Rajshahi division is 68 million (Table 14).

57

Fig. 29. Hatched out tiny tilapia babies yet to completely absorb egg yolk sac

Newly hatched babies of tilapia are closely observed whether they have completely absorbed the egg yolk sacs or not. Completely absorbed egg sac reportedly stimulate baby fish to open their mouth to take exogenous feeds. This is reportedly important period to treat the babies with hormone. Fig. 29 shows baby about to absorb egg yolk sac and appears to ready for hormone treatment. There are only 3 mono-sex tilapia hatcheries in Rangpur division, one at Gaibandha and the other at Rangpur. The combined production of mono-sex tilapia babies in these two hatcheries is only 28 million as shown in Table 15. .

Table 15: Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Rangpur Division) Sl. No.
1 2

Districts
Gaibanda Rangpur

No. of Hatcheries
1 2

Seed Production (Million)

4 24

Total

28

58

Table 16: Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Dhaka division)

Sl. No.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Districts
Tangail Sherpur Dhaka Faridpur Gazipur Jamalpur Keshorgonj Manikgonj Mymensingh Netrokona

No. of Hatcheries
3 1 8 2 4 6 2 1 39 3

Seed Production (Million)

23 2.7 44 7 24 43.2 9 3 268 12.5

Total

69

436.4

Compared to Rangpur division, Dhaka has more mono-sex hatcheries (69) and combined production of the baby tilapia in the division is well over 430 million. Out of 69 hatcheries Mymensingh alone has 39 and also produce 268 million mono-sex tilapia seeds followed by Dhaka and Tangail where roughly 44 million seeds are produced in each district of Dhaka and Jamalpur, respectively as shown in Table 16. Besides these three districts, other 7 districts have comparatively lees number of hatcheries and lees number of seeds. However, Tangail with three hatcheries produce 23 million and that of Gazipur with 4 hatcheries produces similar number of mono-sex tilapia seeds.
Table 17: Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Khulna Division)

Sl. No.

Districts
Jessore Magura Narail Satkhira Bagerhat

No. of Hatcheries
11 2 1 8 2

Seed Production (Million)

50.2 24.8 0.1 67 7

Total

24

149.1

In Khulna division, total numbers of mono-sex tilapia hatcheries are 24. Highest numbers of 11 hatcheries are in Jessore followed by Satkhira by number of hatcheries. However, combined production of Jessore is less than Satkhira as shown in Table 16. Total production in Jessore is 50.2 million compared to those in Satkhira is 67 million. Some hatchery in this division produces very little number of seeds like one hatchery in Magura. As a division, Sylhet produces least number of mono-se tilapia seeds as shown 59

in table 18, where two hatcheries in Sylhet district produces only 9 million mono-sex tilapia seeds. Three other districts of the division have no mono-sex hatcheries.
Table 18: Distribution of commercial Mono-sex Tilapia hatcheries and seed production in different districts of Bangladesh (Sylhet Division)

Sl. No.
1 Sylhet

Districts

No. of Hatcheries
2

Seed Production (Million)

9

Total

As a process of converting bisexual baby tilapia to mono-sex of male individual, it is necessary to treat them with male hormones. Anyway, once commercialization of hormone induced sex reversal became a reality, commercially farming of tilapia (monosex) boomed in Bangladesh. However, mono-sex tilapia seed production is a complex and lengthy procedure. Tilapia is a mouth groomer and female tilapia keeps fertilized eggs inside their mouth cavity and oxygenates the eggs for hatching. In mono-sex hatchery both male and female tilapia are fed in hapa (a net enclosure hanging in water), and after breeding fertilized eggs form mouth of fish are mechanically collected. The collected eggs are then aerated in jars/trays until hatching. After hatching and egg yolk-sac absorption when larvae open mouths they are first fed with male-hormone (testosterone) incorporated feed and within couple of days all baby fish turns into male individual and popularly known as mono-sex tilapia seeds. Tilapia is now globally recognized as the important aquaculture species of the 21st century. According to the FRSS, DoF 2007, tilapia production of the country was about 0.02 million tons in 2005. By the last 10 years (2000 2009) there has been a tremendous progress in tilapia farming in Bangladesh. The recent set back in monoculture of river catfish due to increase in feed cost and falling market price has also encouraged progressive farmers and entrepreneurs for adoption of tilapia aquaculture. The Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) was introduced in Bangladesh in 1994 from the Philippines. Due to excellent growth performance and other relevant traits (survival, fecundity and disease resistance), the strain has been gaining popularity day by day. As a result, a number of entrepreneurs have already established tilapia hatcheries for production of seeds in commercial scale for farming of both monosex and mixed sex tilapia. Details list of the tilapia hatcheries and their recent production are shown in Tables 12-18.

60

In relation to pangas and tilapia seeds farmers are complaining about quality of seeds and some old farmers interviewed reported that pangas and tilapia are not growing as they did couple of years earlier. When the matter was talked with specialist, it was reported that inbreeding may be the problem if identical farms using same quality are now giving different results. A survey on quality of seeds and on inbreeding problem with randomly selected stakeholders showed that majority of respondents except those associated with seed trade said that qualities of seeds are not improving. Roughly one fourth of hatchery related and seed trade related people claimed that seed quality in recent years is improving. However when asked about inbreeding problem all categories of respondents replied in majority that they are aware of the problem or heard about it as shown in Table 19.
Table 19: Tilapia & Pangas Producer -Traders response to quality seeds

Yes (%) Quality of seeds improving

Hatchery related people Nursery related people Fish seed traders Fish farmers 25 15 21 10

No (%)

Dont Know (%)

60 56 35 67

15 29 44 23

Aware about Inbreeding problem

Hatchery related people Nursery related people Fish seed traders Fish farmers 75 65 60 50 10 16 25 20 5 19 15 30

When discussed about expansion of mono-sex tilapia farming in the country, key respondents informed that the tilapia males grow faster than the females, so, all male monosex culture has gained higher popularity than the mixed sex culture. Thus progressive farmers came forward to grow monosex tilapia in their farms. Initially only 5 hatcheries were established during 1999 but quick adoption of BFRI GIFT mixed strain and monosex seed production technologies, the number of such hatcheries raised to 62 by 2007 and by 2010 it become 191, those are producing a total of more than 1430 million monosex fry every year as mentioned earlier. The other cause of rapid expansion of activity (seed production and culture) in the country is that as it is a short cycle fish, so farmers are more interested to have a quick economic return at least thrice a year.

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7.4. Nurseries
There are two types of nursing business has developed in the country for most of the farmed fresh water fish species these are popularly known as conventional nurseries and over-wintered nurseries. 7.4.1. Conventional Nurseries Fish spawns and sometimes fries are sold to fish nurseries before selling it to farmers for table fish production. There are different types of nurseries in the country. One type of nursing is done for pangas during monsoon when the peak season of fin fish seed production is known as traditional or conventional nursing; and over-wintered nursing, during dry season when farmers are reluctant to stock fish in pond due to low temperature. It may be mentioned that fish farming in Bangladesh is still largely season based where rain fed water is trapped during monsoon in ponds for aquaculture and household uses. Understandably, during dry season, water levels depletes making unsuitable for stocking fish and most farmers in the country usually harvest fish at the beginning of dry season. Besides, fish being a cold blooded animal does not grow as fast as it do during summer and monsoon and retarded growth of fish in winter months discourage farmers to farm fish in dry season. Fig. 30A shows a conventional nursing ponds usually used for nursing of carps and pangas. Fig. 30B shows a series of nursing ponds for commercial nursing of both pangas and tilapia together with other farmed species. Once, nursing is complete the nursing ponds may or may not be used for small sized grow-out facilities. Both conventional and over-wintering nursing could be done in same nursing ponds. Only, difference is during conventional nursing rain fed water is used and during over-wintering nursing supplemental water may be needed. Fig. 31 shows a controlled nursery for mono-sex tilapia where baby sex-revered tilapias are initially reared (nursed) following strict procedures before marketing for grow-out farming.

62

Fig. 30A. A conventional pangas nursery (similar nurseries are also used for carps)

Fig. 30B. Series of Nursing ponds where both pangas and tilapia are nursed together with other species

63

Fig. 31. A specialized mono-sex tilapia nursery (initially water should be transparent)

Pangas seedlings are nursed both conventional as well as over-wintered nursing. Since pangas is a larger fish unlike tilapia table fish production requires considerable time, 8-10 months including nursing period. Small farmers usually buy fries and small fingerlings from conventional nurseries and directly stocks to grow out farms/ponds. Nursing business with pangas usually done by professional nursery owners who collect spawns and hatched-out fries directly from hatchers and nursed then for couple of weeks and even for months. Farmers or fish seed traders purchase fries and fingerlings from nursery owners and farmers transport them directly to their ponds and traders either transport those to fixed buyers or wait for orders to be supplied to farm gates of purchasers. Large and organized farming usually have their own nurseries and grow-out ponds and follows a continuous nursing and grow-out culture. They usually engage fish seed traders to round the year seed supply and made additional nursing at their in-house nurseries to raise fingerlings to their desired sizes. Pangas nursery owners like all other commercial fish seeds does not want to retain nursed seed for log time as passing time allows fingerlings to gain weight soon it may exceed carrying capacity of biomass of the nursery. Fig. 32 shows fries of pangas in a conventional commercial nursery.

64

Fig. 32. Nursed panags fries in conventional nurseries (in a nursery pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner, DMBBS)

However, nursed fries or fingerlings must reach a sized chosen by farmers to ensure good survival. Fig. 33 shows good sized pangas seed to be shifted to farmers grow-out.

Fig. 33. Nursed panags fingerlings in nurseries ready for sale (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner, DMBBS)

It s important to raised nursed panags to as size to lure seed traders as well as large 65

commercial farmers to buy in bulk for high density/ semi-intensive farming. Fig. 34 shows a nursery operator measuring a pangas fingerling to its lengths to ensure certain sizes for marketing.

Fig. 34. A nursed pangas fingerling measured by a nursery operator

In case of tilapia, other than mono-sex varieties nursery business is not popular as tilapia is traded from hatcheries after nursing. Fig. 31 in earlier page shows an obligatory nursing process where nursing of mono-sex tilapia is part of the marketable seed production process. As mentioned earlier, mono-sex is produced after hatching of larvae and treating them with male hormone. Hormone treatment is reportedly done while first feeding the fish. First feeding must be done in confined condition, either in concrete tanks or in hanging hapa in natural food poor ponds so that the baby tilapia does get access to natural foods. If the baby tilapia takes natural foods their chances of conversion to mono-sex will be hampered. Fig 35 shows such babies in nursing in hapa with hormone treated feeds. It may be mentioned that for tilapia babies in a plankton free pond for nursing before sexconverse is essential. In the hapa the baby tilapia those who have just opened their mouth in hatching Jar/plate are shifted and hormone treated feeds are administered.

66

Fig. 35. The converted mono-sex tilapia babies ready to be nursed to fry/fingerling stages for marketing

In Fig. 36 Nursed fry of mono-sex tilapia are shown. These fries are ready for sale to farmers level. Once the fry/fingerling stages of mono-sex tilapia is ready at hatchery cum nurseries, the cycle of mono-sex seed production is over.

Fig. 36. Nursed mono-sex fry ready for sell to farmers level

7.4. 2. Over-wintered Nurseries The conventional nursing is an economic activity practiced since commercial hatcheries

67

started operation in the country in early 1980s. However, conventional hatcheries provide seeds for farming at monsoon and unable provide seeds before April-May in bulk. However, at the beginning of warm weather by February in Bangladesh, water bodies also starts warming making it suitable for faster fish growth but hatcheries does not starts its operation until mid April when most farmed species in the country develops their gonads for breeding and makes suitable time for induced breeding in hatcheries. This situation has created new economic opportunities in fish nursing. At the end of monsoon fish seed price declines dramatically due to less demand and hatcheries are forced to sell spawns/seeds at much lower rates. These low priced spawns/fries are usually procured by non-conventional nursery owners for a prolonged nursing though winter period and popularly termed as over-wintered nursing. Conventional nursing usually goes for couples of weeks whereas over-wintered nursing continues for several months. Anyway, over-wintering (OW) has created and opportunity for perennial fish farming where round the year water supply to farming areas is available.

Fig. 37.Over-wintered nursed pangas fingerlings/juveniles for early crop

68

Fig. 38.Over-wintered nursed GIFT fingerlings/juveniles for early crop (in a hatchery of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner ) The use of over-wintered fingerlings helps stocking of ponds as early as late January and crops may be harvested by June and second cop with newly available hatchery produced seeds could be used. Fig. 37 shows OW nursed pangas seeds; and Fig 38 and 39 shows OW seeds of tilapia of mono-sex and GIFT varieties.

Fig. 39.Over-wintered nursed GIFT fingerlings/juveniles for early crop

69

Here it may be mentioned that conventional nursing initiated as a part of fish farming often practising nursing together with grow-outs after selling bulk of nurse seeds and rearing for rearing for table fish. In some cases, framers used to stock low cost seeds in high density and selling apparent excess seeds as nursed to others and retaining required nursed fingerlings or juveniles for table fish production. However, OW nursing now has emerged as new economic activities and many farming houses with small water bodies are now practising over-wintering as an extra source of income generation for the family.

7.5. Pangas and Tilapia Seed Market Place

Aquaculture seed market is scattered throughout the country as pond based fish farming got a momentum since commercialization of fish seed production with induced spawning /breeding in hatcheries. Department of fisheries extension services, Bangladesh Fisheries research institutes initiatives, non-governmental organizations efforts and private seed traders supply of seeds to farm gates helped expansion of fish farming in the country.

Fig. 40. A makeshift Fish seed Market place in Mymensingh where mostly pangas and mono-sex tilapia are traded (a PRICE partner at DMBBS)

However, all types of aquaculture in the country since 1980s followed traditional farming methods; cleaning the water body by removing aquatic vegetations, fertilization and liming and stocking mixed carp species, namely 4-5 native indigenous carps, and 4-5 exotic carps of Chinese origin imported from south east Asian countries. However,

70

introduction of high yielding varieties of fish like pangas and tilapia initiated the commercialization of fish farming in the country. Popularization of fish farming also helped to develop organized fish seed business in the country centring hatchery and nursery zones in the country where hatchery and nurseries are concentrated. Therefore, 3 commercial large market places have developed as fish seed trading centres; Chasara in Jessore; Digerkanda in Mymensingh and Alamdighi in Bogra. Fig. 40 shows a fish seed market place in Mymensingh (Digerkanda). Chasara is concentrations of small earthen ponds, with or without hapa is situated in the centre of huge nursery zones and presence of many hatcheries in the peripheral areas. The market plans is temporarily used to store fry and fingerlings of different types of fish. Large farmers, vendors and fish seed traders comes to the Chasara fish seed market with trucks, vans, and other modes of vehicles. Fish seed traders bring the sellable stuffs from nearby nurseries and stock temporally in ponds often aerated by pumping and flashing waters to facilitate oxygenations.

Fig. 41. A fish seed trading local vehicle is used in Bogra region to carry seeds of mainly pangas to a makeshift market place

71

Fig. 42. A permanent Fish seed Market place in Jessore where mostly all types of fish seeds including pangas and mono-sex tilapia are traded

Digerkanda is different types of fish seed market place. The traders here posses nurseries those are scattered in couple of villages and whenever farmers or small traders comes to buy fish seeds they re shown the samples kept at shop in containers and required number of seeds are freshly harvested and given to the buyers. The traders in Digerkanda usually do business as order supplier. They take order either by personal presence of buyer or orders received by cell phone and supply the required number of seeds to the farm gates of farmers or buyers. Alamdighi is yet other types of market place where every day during high demand for fish seeds traders bring live seeds to Alamdighi market with containers and directly sells the seeds to prospective buyers. This market acts like a vegetable and fruit supplier markets. However, the traders those who sell fry and fingerling in the market also owns nurseries and provide seeds to bulk buyers by orders. Fig. 41 shows transportation of marketable pangas seeds to a market place nearby using a makeshift vehicle. Fig. 42 shows counting of juvenile tilapia seeds to farmers who comes to fish seed market place in Jessore.
7.5.1. Pangas

Pangas most popular farmed fish in Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, Jamalpur, 72

Tangail, Pabna, Bogra, Joypurhat, Brahmanbaria, Norshindi and Naogan areas. Understandably, these areas have more pangas hatcheries and nurseries compared to other areas. Physical fish seed trading places are also concentrated in those areas. Biggest market place for pangas is Digerkanda in Mymensingh. The traders in this market places seldom owns hatcheries themselves, instead they owns small to medium sized nurseries; both traditional wet season nurseries and winter time over-wintering (OW) nurseries. Thus the traders are able to supply pangas fry, fingerling and OW fingerlings to farmers. The traders in Digerkanda reportedly supply bulk fingerlings to large and organized farming business by tucks at the buyers farm gates. Fish seed markets in Alamdighi also sell bulk of pangas fry and fingerlings. However, fish seed market in Chasara does not cater pangas as dominant species like in Digerkanda. They sells pangas as one of the 24 species of farmed fish and seed market share of pangas is less than 10% f total seed sells.

However, there are many hatcheries in Jessore areas that produce pangas seeds. When asked why pangas seeds are not that dominant as it should be based on the presence of number of pangas hatcheries; some key informant on condition on anonymity reported that a lot of pangas seeds cross the Bangladesh-India boarder illegally as Bangladesh produces pangas seeds more cost-effectively compared to their Indian counterparts. It reported that India does not allow import of pangas seeds. 7.5.2. Tilapia Tilapia, specially mono sex tilapia is becoming a popular farmed fish in Lakshmipur, Noakhali, Chittagong, Coxs Bazar, Chandpur, Comilla, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Tangail, Pabna, Bogra, Joypurhat, Gazipur and Noagan areas. Traditionally, there were no tilapia hatcheries in the country as tilapia breeds in captivity. However, introduction of hormone induced mono-sex tilapia hatcheries many types hatcheries mushroomed in the areas mentioned, coming from no where in a decade back to over hundred hatcheries in the country. All physical fish seed trading places are also catering mono-sex tilapia fry and fingerlings. However, trading of mono-sex tilapia is usually done by the hatchery them using their own marketing networks, oxygenated polybag and trucks. The traders in this market places sells less mono-sex seeds compared to carp and pangas fry and fingerlings.

7.6. Grow-out Farming

73

Farming or raising table fish in Bangladesh through aquaculture long has been a seasonal economic activities/ business in rural Bangladesh. This is/was partially due to farming by using rain fed water and partially water temperature goes down during winter retarding the growth of fish (fish are cold blooded, and reportedly they cant regulate their body temperature and low temperature in winter decrease their body temperature and slow physiological activities). However, the story has changed completely when high yielding pangas and 2-3 crops of mono-sex tilapia emerged as farming species and farmers pooled their resources to farm fish not as part time but full time business. However, pangas and tilapia has different grow-out systems. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh is a country with huge population and low income by vast majority of the masses has no market size for fishes. Fishes with whatever sizes are produced gets ready-made markets. Experts believe that no-market size scenario for fishes indeed created an opportunity for low income group of people eating mostly under sized and low cost fish that supplies mostly most micro-nutrients notably calcium and other necessary minerals. Further, it was also mentioned by experts that panags being a high protein and high lipid fish supplies much needed animal protein, fat soluble vitamins and unsaturated fats to low income groups. The grow-out farming of pangas and tilapia (mainly mono-sex tilapia) are completely different compared to other commercial farming species, mainly different varieties of carps. Fig. 43 shows a high density/semi-intensive pangas farm in Bogra.

Fig. 43. A high density panags farm in Bogra region (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner)

74

Fig. 44. A high density Tilapia farm in Norshindi region

Fig. 44 shows a high density Tilapia farm at Norshindi area. The semi-intensive farm of tilapia and pangas are of different types where panags is usually produced a single cropping pattern that last 8-9 months to attain 800-1000g in average body weight. On the other hands, good market size for tilapia is 200-300 g and short farming session of 3-4 months are good enough to raise tilapia to that market size. Therefore, tilapia crop could be harvested twice to three times in year, if proper planning is made where nursing and grow-out are segregated. Table 20 and 21 show major pangas and tilapia farming areas in the country, respectively.

Table 20. Major Pangas Farming Regions in the Country based on Farming Intensity

Intensive Farming, 30 ton or above/ha

Mymensingh Bogra Netrokona Norshindi Kishoregongj Sherpur

Semi-intensive Farming, 15-29 ton/ha

Jamalpur Joypurhat Brahmanbaria Jessore Satkhira Kustia

High-Density Farming, roughly 10-14 ton/ha

Pabna Noakhali Kustia Dinajpur Noakhali Hobigonj

75

Tangail Naogaon

Jessore

Table 21. Tilapia Farming Regions in the Country based on Farming Intensity Intensive Farming, 15 ton or above/ha Semi-intensive Farming, 10-14 ton/ha High-Density Farming, roughly 8-9 ton/ha

Bogra Norshindi Jhenaidah Kishoregongj Naogaon Kustia Netrokona Jamalpur

Joypurhat Brahmanbaria Jessore Dinajpur Satkhira Jessore Mymensingh Sherpur Tangail

Pabna Feni Noakhali Chaudanga Gaibandha Hobigonj Shariatpur Madaripur

7.6.1 Monoculture of Pangas

Pangas is relatively a larger fish compared to tilapia. The fish has better market with size ranges of 500-1000g and above. However, fish as small as 300g are often sold in markets. Conventional grow-out of pangas with or without in-house nursing usually lasts 7-9 months. Some farmers stock fingerlings directly to grow-out ponds and harvest the market sized fish. Other organized faring business usually performs series of nursing to maximise use of physical farming resources, the ponds. Grow-out of pangas is usually done either mono-culture or mixed culture basis. Fig. 45 shows a high density harvestable pangas farm in Mymensingh area.

76

Fig. 45. A high density harvestable panags crop in pond

Fig. 46. A high density harvestable panags mixed with tilapia in pond

Initially, mono-culture of pangas got popularity due to its fast growth high survival and

77

good feed conversion rates. However, high yield from a unit area creates high demand for supplemental feeds as pangas are scavengers and they do not utilize plankton foods naturally grown in fish ponds and excessively grow where fertilization and supplemental feeds are used. Soon, farmers discovered that mono-culture of pangas creates heavy plankton bloom that since they are not utilized by pangas it drops to the bottom completing its life cycle for about a week. The dropping of dead plankton to bottom of pond pollutes water and release of minerals by decomposition of dead plankton again creates an environment that allows more phyto-plankton to grow. Fig. 46 shows a high density panags and tilapia farming where both species showed high yield. Though, there is a rough estimate of fish production in Bangladesh and fish landings from natural and farming sources but species-wise fish production from aquaculture/ farming is fragmentary and it appeared through the study that government statistics is out-dated and does not reflects rapid changes occurred in grass-root level specially in farming of panags and tilapia. Table 22 shows recorded production of tilapia and pangas in 2008-2209 and estimated production in 2009-2010 and projected production in 20152016. As shown in Table 22, estimated country-wide production of pangas in 2009-2010 is roughly 4 times higher than recorded production of 2008-2009 and that of tilapia is also 5 times higher than the recorded figure of a year earlier. As shown in Table 22, Dhaka division tops both in panags & tilapia productions followed by Rajshahi.

Table 22: Total estimated production of Pangas and tilapia in 2009-2010 and projection for 2015-2016* Pond Production Production Production 2015-2016 Division
area (ha) Dhaka Rajshahi Chittagong Rangpur Khulna Sylhet Others Total 2008-2009 (ton)
Total fish Pangas Tilapia

2009-2010 (Estimated)
Pangas Tilapia

(Projected)
Pangas Tilapia

40570 30467 20658 12506 14988 7675 126864

130470 83061 64026 39639 50347 20226 387769

24410.7 33288.6 2709.7 1113.5 1294.4 918.4 63735.3

6625.8 1469 1377.7 959.1 2321.8 602.3 13355.7

180,110 57,000 5,850 2,330 5,255 2,765 10,000 263,310

24290 18,630 4,640 4,140 7,860 2,615 5,000 67,175

270165 85500 8775 3495 7882.5 4147.5 30,000 349,965

36435 27945 6960 6210 11790 3923 15,000 108,263

Division-wise figure for panags and tilapia till 2008-2009 were collected from Fisheries statistical yearbook based on districts.

78

Table 23: District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Dhaka Division Pond Production Production Production 2015-2016 District
area (ha) Mymensingh Netrokona, Sherpur Tangail Norshindi Kishoregongj Jamalpur Dhaka Munshigonj Narayangong Shariatpur Madaripur Manikgong 8353 6550 1291 3,017 2108 4979 1788 2551 1872 1383 2079 2083 2516 40570 2008-2009 (ton)
Total fish Pangas Tilapia

2009-2010 (Estimated)
Pangas Tilapia

(Projected)
Pangas Tilapia

29184 21434 4516 7841 6291 17145 6471 7894 5488 5081 6402 5739 6984 130470

7617.0 2979.3 1528.7 2889.0 3375.8 3976.4 1497.4 15.0 160.2 79.8 146.6 72.9 72.6 24411

29.2 503.7 563.6 689.2 806.5 2861.5 428.4 371.2 130.1 137.7 42.2 50.5 12.0 6625.8

73,500 18,750 7,400 16,500 29,500 23,550 7,200 440 740 650 665 495 720 180,110

1460 2,270 2,150 2,500 4,810 6,620 1,530 760 610 790 430 210 150 24290

110250 28125 11100 24750 44250 35325 10800 660 1110 975 997.5 742.5 1080
270165

2190 3405 3225 3750 7215 9930 2295 1140 915 1185 645 315 225
36435

Total

Table 23, shows recorded, estimated and projected production of pangas and tilapia for 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2015-2016 years, respectively in geographical distributions in districts of Dhaka division. As mentioned earlier, Mymensingh produces highest amount of panags in Dhaka division followed by Norshindi. Whereas Kishoregongj tops the list in tilapia production in the division followed by Norshindi.
Table 24 : District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Rajshahi Division Pond Production Production Production 2015-2016 District

79

area (ha)

2008-2009 (ton)

2009-2010 (Estimated)
Tilapia Pangas Tilapia

(Projected)

Total fish

Pangas

Pangas

Tilapia

Bogra Pabna Naogaon Chaudanga Kustia

9477 7324 10768 1270

26970 20183 26680 3987

16,155.0 2,139.4 13,932.3 191.4

612.2 74.7 439.5 289.1

33,200 3,750 17,850 290

7,560 1,300 2,580 1,170

1628 30467

5241 83061

870.5 33288.6

53.5 1469

1,910 57,000

6,020 18,630

49800 5625 26775 435 2865 85500

11340 1950 3870 1755 9030 27945

Total

In Rajshahi division, Bogra tops the list among the districts in production of both pangas and tilapia followed by Naogaon and Pabna as shown in Table 24.

Chittagong division is not as prominent as of Dhaka and Rajshahi divisions in production of pangas and tilapia in the country as shown in Table 25. Combined production of pangas and tilapia in the division is around 5-6 thousands only. However, it was found that GOB statistics till 2008-2009 completely ignored Chandpur district where sizeable amount of tilapia are being produced through cage farming. By a current estimate roughly 3000 ton of mono-sex tilapia is produced in Chandpur by cage farming alone.
Table 25: District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Chittagong Division Pond Production Production Production 2015-2016 District
area (ha)
Total fish

2008-2009 (ton)
Pangas Tilapia

2009-2010 (Estimated)
Pangas Tilapia

(Projected)
Pangas Tilapia

Noakhali B. baria Chandpur*

12332 8326

35811 28215

669.7 2040.0

548.2 829.5

1,370 4,480

1,890 2,750 3,000

2055 6720 8775

2835 4125 5000 11,960

Total

20658

64026

2709.7

1377.7

5,850

7,640

* production through cage farming alone, faring area is not shown.

Table 26, shows that only two districts in the division out of 8 districts has significant amount of area under pangas and tilapia farming. However, out of two districts, Dinajpur has higher farming areas and higher production compared those with Gaibandha. Te northern part of Bangladesh that comprise newly formed division of Rangpur is reportedly short fish supply areas in the country and bulk of pangas produced in Bogra districts reportedly goes to districts in Rangpur division. Some key informant reported that Rangpur division has more prospects of pangas and tilapia farming as the districts in

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the division is mostly placed on flood-free zone and land prices in these districts are reportedly cheap compared to other districts.
Table 26: District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Rangpur Division Pond Production Production Production 2015-2016 District
area (ha)
Total fish

2008-2009 (ton)
Pangas Tilapia

2009-2010 (Estimated)
Pangas Tilapia

(Projected)
Pangas Tilapia

Dinajpur Gaibandha

10662 1844

33659 5980

905.4 208.1

818.0 141.1

1,620 710

3,180 960

2430 1065 3495

4770 1440 6210

Total

12506

39639

1113.5

959.1

2,330

4,140

Khulna division harbour biggest fish seed market place in the country but the market place is mainly trade carp seeds of both local and exotic species. Anyway, three districts of the division produced roughly little over five thousand tons of pangas and nearly 8 thousand tons of tilapia as shown in Table 27.

Table 27: District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Khulna Division Pond Production Production Production 2015-2016 District
area (ha)
Total fish

2008-2009 (ton)
Pangas Tilapia

2009-2010 (Estimated)
Pangas Tilapia

(Projected)
Pangas Tilapia

Jessore Satkhira Jhenaidah

6797 3180 5011

24761 9008 16578

463.0 736.9 94.5

996.4 1153.0 172.4

1,650 2,900 705

3,200 3,180 1,480

2475 4350 1057.5 7882.5

4800 4770 2220 11790

Total

14988

50347

1294.4

2321.8

5,255

7,860

The production figure of pangas and tilapia in Sylhet division are shown in Table 24. Among seven divisions in the country, only Barisal division so far reported to produce negligible amount of pangas and tilapia productions. Among other 6 divisions, Sylhet produces lowest amount of pangas and tilapia as shown in Table 28. There are 4 districts in Sylhet division and out of these 4 only 2 districts have notable pangas and tilapia farming. Sylhet division is famous for natural/wild fresh water fish production from natural depressions popularly known as hoars and wild fish are more favoured Sylhet compared to other divisions in the country.
Table 28: District-wise pond based pangas and tilapia production in Sylhet Division

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District

Pond area (ha)

Production 2008-2009 (ton)

Production 2009-2010 (Estimated)

Pangas Tilapia

Production 20152016 (Projected)

Pangas Tilapia

Total fish

Pangas

Tilapia

Hobigonj Moulvi Bazar

3441 4234

9087 11139

673.3 245.1

357.1 245.2

1,295 1,470

1,495 1,120

1942.5 2205

2243 1680 3923

Total

7675

20226

918.4 602.3

2,765

2,615

4147.5

As mentioned earlier, pangas and tilapia are exotic species and total biomass production from these two species are actually comes from farming, unlike most of other farming species where both wild and cultured stocks makes the landing. Besides, high density fish farming in the country is practiced using pangas and tilapia. And in most cases the farming of these two species is done with supplemental feeds. Initially, home made mash feeds were popular due to its cost-effectiveness in low to mid density farming. However, farmers reportedly soon learned that in high density farming use of mash feed crates more water population and it causes diseases and currently, most farmers practicing high density farming uses commercial dry pellet of factory manufactured. The study found that roughly 30 commercial pellet feeds in the country is consumed by farmed tilapia and that of pangas consumes approximately over 60% of dry pellet feeds. Therefore, it was relatively easier to quantify total amount of pangas and tilapia biomass produced in the country based of production and sale of factory based dry pellets for fish and shrimp. Table 29 shows estimated biomass production of pangas and tilapia in the country based on feed consumed in the country during 2009-2010.
Table 29. Projected production of Pangas and Tilapia based on consumption of feed % Consumption Total milled pellet feed produced in 2009-2010 Estimated consumption by pangas Estimated consumption by tilapia Other aquaculture farmed animal consumed Amount (ton) Expected FCR Expected biomass (ton)

100% 63% 26% 11%

568,370 358,073 95,776 62,521

1.8 :1 1.8 :1 1.8 :1 1.8 :1

315,761 198,930 53,209 34,734

As mentioned earlier, initially monoculture of pangas got popularity in the country when the species was first introduced in the country as farmed species. However, farmers soon 82

discovered that introduction of plankton feeding herbivore fish like carps and tilapia may control excessive growth of planktons and as they will strain plankton from culture water and will grow using plankton as its energy source. Therefore, commercial pangas farming currently uses pangas and mono-sex tilapia and other carp species as companion crop. The mixed farming of pangas and other specie/s performs two important tasks, it increases production of fish biomass without extra spending and companion species with pangas acts sweeper fish that clean excessive plankton growth. This combination truly acts as symbiotic where pangas gets clean environment due to cleaning by tilapia and/or carps and carps get plankton grown due to left over feed and excreta of pangas decompose to mineralize and enhance plankton growth. 7.6.2. Monoculture of Tilapia Tilapia is categorized as a small fish in Bangladesh compared to carps and pangas. The fish has a market sizes ranging from 2-10 making a kg. The species specially those of Nile, GIFT and mono-sex varieties has a short grow-out phase making it a suitable farming species in seasonal water bodies and harvesting more than one crop per year. As mentioned earlier, Bangladesh has no market sizes for fish in general or species wise, so tilapia as small as 10-15g has markets. However, fish 100-500g are often sold in markets. Usual grow-out of tilapia with or without nursing usually lasts 3-6 months. Some farmers stock tilapia seeds directly to grow-out ponds and harvest the market sized fish for many years as tilapia breeds and produces baby tilapia in grow-outs. These types of farming usually done in house-hold based small ponds often mixed with other fresh water farming species.

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Fig. 47. Sampling in a high density GIFT tilapia farming (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner in Jamalpur)

Tilapia farming unlike carps and pangas are of different types. Small farmers usually stock bisexual individuals of either red, Nile, GIFT varieties with or without mixing with other fresh water non-carnivore farming species. In stocking so, farmers usually go for continuous harvesting of market sized fish by selective netting so that small sized individuals may escape the mesh and grow faster in absence of larger individuals. In this types of farming, no new seeds are required as bisexual tilapia produces many babies to replace the harvested stocks. In this types of farming farmers seldom drain farming water and farming continues for years. Since low cost supplementary feeds are used annul yields are not significant. Planned farming using bisexual tilapia is difficult as population in farming pond/s is difficult to estimate to take necessary farming management initiatives. Fig. 47 shows farmers sampling the raised tilapia from a pond to determine the marketable sizes. Besides the bisexual tilapia farming, in recent years mono-sex tilapia farming is getting popularity and momentum. The reasons behind the popularity of mono-sex farming are that high density /semi-intensive farming of mono-sex is possible due to non-appearances of babies in farming. Moreover, mono-sex farming ensures almost identical sized fish in

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a stock and it is easier to determine feed rations for a farmed stock and predictable harvest period may be ascertained. If judiciously executed, mono-sex farming can ensure more than one crop per year. Introduction of floating feeds in mono-sex tilapia farming reduced the danger of over feeding and water pollution. Besides, it encouraging introduction of cage farming in open water. The initiative (cage farming of tilapia) is still small, but sign are there is that the important economic activity may become popular in coming years as changes in climatic conditions and rise of sea level will make easy cage farming in open water system in Bangladesh. . Initially during early 1950s when tilapia was introduced in Bangladesh, culture of tilapia got early enthusiasm due to its ability to produce seeds in captivity, specifically in pond ecosystem. However the early popularity of tilapia soon disappeared as it was producing many mouths but less flesh. However, at that time supplemental feeding to fish was unknown, high yield from a unit area was not envisaged and farmers used to fertilize ponds for plankton growth and hoped that foods naturally grown in fish ponds will allow higher production. 7.6.3. Poly/mixed culture of Pangas and Tilapia (Grow-out) As mentioned earlier, pangas mostly farmed on supplemental feeding in Bangladesh and elsewhere. They hardly fed on natural foods except during fry stages. On the other hand, tilapia is an omnivore species that feds on both natural feed of animal and plant origin together with supplemental feeds. In high density pangas farming, excessive growth of plankton occurs due to fertilization and use of supplemental feeds. Soon, farmers discovered that mono-culture of pangas creates heavy plankton bloom that since they are not utilized by pangas it drops to the bottom completing its life cycle for about a week. The dropping of dead plankton to bottom of pond pollutes water and release of minerals by decomposition of dead plankton again creates an environment that allows more phytoplankton to grow. Fig. 48 shows a mixed farming of tilapia and carps with supplemental feeding. Fig. 49 shows a high density tilapia and pangas farming.

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Fig. 48. A high density tilapia and carp farming (a pond of a beneficiary of a PRICE partner at Bhaluka, Mymensingh)

Fig. 49. High density pangas and tilapia farming together (same as above)

As mentioned earlier, high density pangas and tilapia farming is getting popularity among the farmers as the method of farming has turned into a somewhat symbiotic in nature. Some key respondents informed the author that excessive use of supplemental feeding in pangas farming creates huge amount of plankton foods those remain unutilized

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as pangas cant graze like tilapia or carps. Introduction of tilapia in high density farming helps tilapia biomass production with live foods and also helps pangas with clean water as tilapia reportedly decrease plankton population as well as suspended solids. Initial attempt of mono-culture of panags and tilapia under high density reportedly encountered some management problem as mentioned above and then farmers switched from mono to poly and mixed farming methodologies. Farmers soon discovered that introduction of plankton feeding herbivore fish like carps and tilapia may control excessive growth of planktons and as they will strain plankton from culture water and will grow using plankton as its energy source. Therefore, commercial pangas farming currently uses pangas and mono-sex tilapia and other carp species as companion crop. The mixed farming of pangas and other specie/s performs two important tasks, it increases production of fish biomass without extra spending and companion species with pangas acts sweeper fish that clean excessive plankton growth. This combination truly acts as symbiotic where pangas gets clean environment due to cleaning by tilapia and/or carps and carps get plankton grown due to left over feed and excreta of pangas decompose to mineralize and enhance plankton growth. Though fish farmers in the country were used to farm carps for long time but mostly practicing low density natural food based farming. However, introduction of pangas and tilapia has changed the farming pattern in some parts of the country. Some key respondent reported that pangs farming is most easy among the fish farming and planned farming of tilapia using mono-sex strain is also easy. The result of a random survey on pangas and tilapia are present in Table 30. As shown in the Table 30, predominantly majority of respondent replied that panags is easiest species to farm. Tilapia also received comparatively better marks compared to carp farming.
Table 30. Farmers Response on Farming of Pangas and Tilapia Pangas Tilapia Local Carp Exotic carp Climbing perch Stinging Catfish

Easy Farming Methods with feed Good growth in new ponds with feed Good species for a starter

91 85 74

25 28 10

22 10 12

21 13 14

45 43 19

23 34 13

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7.7. Feed Sources

Aquaculture in Bangladesh initially started with liming and fertilization to enhance natural foods in pond eco-system and mostly carps and tilapia like fishes were favourite farming species. Understandably, yields were poor and some farmers soon learned that using supplemental feeds indeed help to get more biomass from a unit water body and started used home made feeds. Mash type home made feeds usually prepared by rice and wheat bran and occasionally incorporating soybean meal and fish meal was initial supplemental feeds used by fish farmers in the country. Fig 50 shows a aquaculture feed factory stored manufactured feeds for marketing.

Fig. 50. Many factories manufactured dry pellet feeds for pangas and tilapia

Based on the success of supplemental mash feed to improve yield in aquaculture farms, some poultry feed company started producing pellet feeds for fish farming (poultry farming with dry pellet started in Bangladesh earlier than fish pellet). The commercial manufacture of dry pellet feed for fish got momentum when pangas was introduced in the country. Pangas is only commercial farmed fish in Bangladesh that depends 100% on supplemental feeds. Natural foods produced in pond ecosystem do not provide any food items for pangas as the species does not eat plankton (suspended live food), benthos (bottom growing live food) or a detritus (non-living organic particles). Pangas feeds on rotten organic matters or may be termed as scavenger on dead animals. It is said that to a beginner pangas is most ideal fish for a fish farmer as its can be cultured in a newly constructed pond with supplemental feeds without much care and farming management.

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Table 31 shows total number of aquaculture feed factories in the country and types o commercial feeds they produce. It was found that there are 56 feed factories in the country those produce significant amount of dry pellet feeds for fish and shrimp. It was reported that in 2009-2010, total production of commercial aquaculture pellet feed was 5,68,000 ton of which roughly 115 was floating and rest of the feeds are sinking type pellets. It was reported that 100% floating feeds are used for panags and tilapia farming and most of sinking pellet is also used as pangas and tilapia feed. The feed factories are mostly situated in Dhaka division from where sacs/packets of feed are distributed in areas where panags and tilapia farming are concentrated. Fig. 51 shows a lot of manufactured feeds await shipments to marketing channels.
Table 31. Factory based Aquaculture Feed/s Production & Sale sales in 2010 Total Sinking Pellet Floating Pellet Factory in operation (#) 56 56 6 Fish Feed manufacturing (#) 56 56 6 Shrimp Feed manufacturing (#) 17 17 Total production (ton) 5,68,370 4,67,370 62,000

Fig. 51. Aquaculture feeds awaits shipment to agents and dealers for marketing

Table 32. Shrimp and Fish Feed Production & Sale sales in 2010

Total Production (ton)

5,29,370

Shrimp
24,700

Fish
5,43,617

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Sinking Floating

4,67,370 62,000

24,700 -

4,42,670 62,000

It was found that roughly 5% of all produced pellet feeds are used as supplemental feeds for shrimps as shown in Table 32. No floating feed is used for shrimp faming as it was reported that shrimp lives in bottom of farming water and usually does not come to surface for feeding.

7.7.1. Supplemental Feed for Pangas As mentioned earlier, pangas is a voracious eater and solely depend on supplemental feeds in captivity. Some farmers mentioned that pangas is an ideal species to start aquaculture by a non-professional (some pangas farmer in Mymensingh area mentioned that pangas may be cultured by a dull guy). A newly constructed pond can be used to farm pangas with supplemental feeds. Introduction of pangas in late 1980s in Bangladesh initiated manufacturing of dry sinking pellet in the country. It may be mentioned that pellet feed first introduced in the country for poultry birds, and then poultry feed millers started manufacturing fish specifically pangas feed in the country using little extra binders to poultry feeds without changing too many in compositions. Deliberate attempts were made to market the fish feed costeffectively. Similar feeds were also sold as carp and tilapia feeds. Now more than 20 medium and large feed companies are manufacturing and marketing pangas feeds in the country. While talked to feed agents and dealers they said (on condition that they should not be named) that composition of pangas, tilapia or carp feeds does not vary significantly, instead packaging is done mentioning the brand for certain species. When talked to some feed nutritionist they also claimed that laboratory analysis very often indicates different brand of supplemental feeds probably incorporate same or similar ingredients with similar ratio for most of the farmed species of fish.

7.7.2. Supplemental Feed for Tilapia

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Unlike pangas tilapia is a omnivore species and can solely depend on planktonic feeds when density in farming is low or solely depend on supplemental feeds in captivity or in cages or may be raised mixed under planktonic feed and supplemental feeds. Most farmers are in Bangladesh are confident to farm tilapia of various origin. A newly constructed pond is not suitable for tilapia farming as new ponds easily become turbid and prevents plankton growth. Introduction of mono-sex tilapia in late 1990s in Bangladesh initiated manufacturing of dry sinking pellet as well as floating pellet feeds in the country. Feed millers started manufacturing fish specifically pangas feed in the country and pangas feed without changing its compositions were modelled as tilapia feeds. Pangas, carps and tilapia fed in Bangladesh is not very different in composition and percentage of crude protein contents. Now more than 20 medium and large feed companies are manufacturing and marketing pangas and tilapia feeds in the country.

Fig. 52. Home made feed use to a high density pangas and tilapia farming

Initially, use of supplemental feeding started with mash type feeds where farmers used to mix suitable ingredients and feeding directly those to ponds with a belief that fish will eat everything provided. However, specialist says that part of the mash feeds actually disintegrate in pond water after its administration and remains out of touch of the animal for which it is given and ends up as fertilizer. In relatively low density panags ad tilapia 91

farming mash feed reportedly assist for relatively high productivity as tilapia reportedly strains some suspended solids those actually comes from disintegrated feed /feed particles. However, specialist suggests that in high density /semi-intensive farming dry pellet of sinking or floating types should be used.
Table - 33. Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Dhaka Division)
Sl No. Name of Feed Mills District Total Sales ( MT ) Floating Feeds (MT) Shrimp Feed ( MT )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Total

Suadi Bangla Fish Feed Ltd. Bhaluka Sunny Feeds Ltd, Bhaluka, BRAC Feeds, Bhaluka, Excel Feeds, Trisal, Talukder feeds, Bhaluka, Jamjam Feeds, Bhaluka, Surjavita Feeds Ltd, Bhaluka, Al Fallaha( Shusumo ) Feeds, Trisal, Premium Fish Feeds, Muktagacha Trisal Fish Feeds, Trisal, Naris Feeds Ltd, Bhaluka, SMS Feeds Ltd, Mauna, Neo Hope, Sreepur, Paragon FeedsRahat Feeds Ltd, Muktagacha Bay Agro Ltd, Mono Feeds, Solid Feeds Ltd, Lion Feeds, Gazipur Bay Agro Ltd, Gazipur Biswas Feeds, Gazipur Elia Feeds, Gazipur Lion Feeds, Gazipur Lucky Feeds, Gazipur AIT feeds Ltd, Sumaya Feeds, Sulbon Feeds, National Feeds, Power Fish feed, Sabuj Bangla Fish Feeds, SGS Feeds, Mass Feeds Ltd, Advance Feeds ltd, Quality Feeds Rupshi Feeds, SB Feeds Ltd., Usha Feeds- Savar, Aftab Feeds Ltd, 2 units Spectra Hexa ( Mega feeds ),

Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mymensingh Mym & G. pur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur, Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Gazipur Norshindi Norshindi Dhaka Narayangong Manikgong

33,000 5,000 10000 3000 4000 3800 4000 15000 2000 1200 4500 7,000 22,000 16,000 7000 2000 6000 6000 4000 2000 38000 1200 3200 3000 20000 4500 20000 3000 2500 6000 12000 4000 95,000 5500 8000 30,000 30000 45000 488,400

1000 1500

200

7000

1000

5,000

2500 36000 45500 8700

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Fig. 52 shows a mash feed supplements to culture ponds. There are 56 feed mills in the country those manufactured and marketed feeds in 2009-2010. However, most of the feed mills are located in Dhaka division. Table 33, shows feed mills, their locations and total production and marketing of feeds in 2009-2010. This division in fact produces roughly 86% of fish/shrimp feeds in the country. Individually, Quality Feeds Ltd, a company tops the list followed by Spectra Hexa with popular brand known as Mega feeds is distant second with less than half of the front runner. The Chittagong division has a total of 9 feed mills and combined produces 97,000 ton of dry pellet where CP tops the list followed by Fresh feeds. Table 34 shows the feed mills in Chittagong division and their locations ion districts.

Table 34. Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Chittagong Division)

Sl No.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total

Name of Feed Mills

Euro Feeds Ltd, Sitakundo, CP Bangladesh Provati Feeds, Niribili Feeds, Fresh Feeds, Aga feeds, A. K. Feeds ltd, City Group, Usha Feed

District
Chittagong Chittagong Comilla Cox,s Bazer Comilla Chittagong Noakhali Comilla Chittagong

Total Sales ( MT ) 7000 34,000 4000 8000 20000 5000 3000 9000 7,000 97,000

Floating Feeds (MT)

Shrimp Feed ( MT )

1000

1000

The feeds mills manufacturing pellet feeds for fish in Rajshahi division are shown in Table 35. As shown in the table (Table 31), no fed mills in the division produces floating feeds or shrimp feeds all they manufacture is sinking fish feeds. The leading manufacturer in the division is ACI Feeds Ltd., followed by Quality feeds those who have a plant in Bogra besides plant in Gazipur in Dhaka division.
Table 35. Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Rajshahi Division) Sl No. Name of Feed Mills District Total Sales ( MT ) 33,000 18,000 Floating Feeds (MT) Shrimp Feed ( MT )

1 2

ACI Feeds Ltd, Aman Feed Ltd, Ullapara

Sirajgonj Pabna

93

3 4 5 6

Tamim Feeds Ltd, Shajahanpur, Quality Feeds Ekniz Feeds, Mondol feeds,

Bogra Bogra Bogra Joypurhat

15000 25,000 2000 6000

Total

99,000

Table 36 shows fish/shrimp feed mills in the Khulna division. There are 4 feed mills in Khulna division those were operational during 2009-2010. The 4 fed mills in the division combined produced roughly 17,000 ton of feeds during the reported period. Besides, four division mentioned above, remaining 3 divisions in Bangladesh does not have any fish feed mills. Table 36. Division-wise Feed Mills and Turn-over (Khulna Division) Sl No. 1 2 3 4 Name of Feed Mills
Usha Feed Satkhira Feeds, Bismillaha Feeds, Jamuna Feeds,

District
Jessore Khulna Bagerhat Jessore

Total Sales ( MT )
7,000 2,970 6000 1000

Floating Feeds (MT)

Shrimp Feed ( MT )
1500 4000 500

Total

16,970

6000

7.8. Survival (endurance) of Pangas and Tilapia as Farmed Species

As mentioned earlier pangas is an ideal species for farming by a beginner. This is due to the fact that pangas is one of the hardiest farmed fish in Bangladesh. They survive almost 100% even in abused farming methods. The species survive in environment with shortage of dissolve oxygen (DO) through gulping and it is said that pangas makes so mush movement in farmed water that DO shortage seldom occurs. Their movement in farm water make agitation and that helps aerial oxygen to dissolve in water. Pangas grow very rapidly when adequate quality grade supplemental feeds are administered. However, they can endure without supplemental feeds for months without any growth in body 94

weight. Pangas also suffers less disease compared to other farmed fish. Besides, predation by carnivore fish or other aquatic predators like frog, snakes, and lizards are extremely few as the species posses two lateral and one vertical strong and hard spine and prevent predator to swallow it. They are vulnerable only to predatory by fish eating birds that do not swallow. On the other hand, tilapia as farmed species is considered more delicate than pangas as the species can cause mass mortality due to DO shortage, disease or still unknown reasons. In ideal culture conditions survival rate of tilapia is reportedly excellent. The stocking of bisexual tilapia increase total fish population in farm uncontrolled and currently farmers in Bangladesh switching towards mono-sex tilapia farming.

7.8. Disease
Disease outbreak in Bangladesh during mid 1980s alerted aqua-farmers and farmers are now concerned for fish disease. Outbreak of Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS), also known as red spot disease, has affected more than 100 different species of fish world wide. It primarily affects fresh water fish, but can also strike brackish water fish. EUS ranges from mild to severe and has a destructive impact on younger fish populations. If an outbreak is not contained, it can have a devastating impact on the fishing industry. Outbreak of epizootic ulcerative syndrome have occurred in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Nepal, New South Wales, the Philippines, Queensland, Thailand and Western Australia. Fish affected by red spot disease reside in fresh water areas, such as ponds, lakes and streams. While not as common, outbreaks of the syndrome have occurred in bodies brackish water. 7.8.1. Affected Species Chinese carp and tilapia seem to be resistant to EUS, but many other species of fresh water fish appear to be highly susceptible to the disease. Archer fish, barramundi, gourami, chanda perch, spangled perch, fork-tailed catfish, mangrove jack, mullet, red scat, Saratoga, rainbow fish, snakeheads and striped gunter fish are a few of the species of fish known to be susceptible to red spot disease. However, pangas was reportedly affected by the disease in certain areas of Bangladesh. Independent observer was not found who can claim with certainty that indeed, pangas suffers from EU disease.

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7.8.2. Cause A pathogenic fungus causes red spot disease. The pathogenic fungus is Aphanomyces invadans. A fish becomes infected when the fungi attaches to a scale. Once attached to the scales, the fungi spores begin to multiply. The multiplying spores spread to surrounding scales and begin to work their way through the fish scales. The spores continue to multiply and break through the skin and into the muscle of the diseased fish. 7.8.3. Identification A diseased fish will have a noticeable red spot on its scales. Red spot disease spreads and produces a noticeable red patch on the body of the fish. The spot may also appear to look like a dark burn mark. As EUS progresses, the red spot will become ulcerated. Loss of scales, raw skin and muscle tissue will become noticeably visible. In advanced cases, the ulcerated area may extend into the abdominal cavity. 7.8.4. Prevention/Solution To prevent a widespread outbreak of red spot disease, do not move diseased fish to a different body of water. A solution of antiseptic iodophor effectively treats captive fish. Remove diseased fish from the water. Increasing the salinity of the water may help suppress minor outbreaks of EUS.

7.9. Risk Factors associated with Pangas & Tilapia farming

Risks associated with pangas and tilapia farming other than disease and pollution is price fluctuation. Since both pangas and tilapia farming in Bangladesh has got certain degree of intensifications it needs considerable investments in feeds and farming managements. Unlike traditional and improved traditional ways of farming, in semi-intensive farming profit margin is less in terms of kg based production, but high yield off-set the profit margin. However drop in price or slide in demand causes problems for farmers who need cash to run the farming in cropping series, i.e., selling fish in one pond helps to finance for feeds in other ponds in rising. Though keeping pangas and tilapia for couple of days in grow-out ponds are not expensive but prolong market gluts may ruin the farmers and farming. Besides marketing problems, main risk associated with pangas and tilapia farming is natural disasters, like floods, cyclone and heavy torrential rains. These natural calamities dont kill the fish but helps them to escape outside of ponds. Once farmed fish is outside of its embankments it become community property and anybody can fish it.

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7.10. Farming Approaches Adopted

Fisheries and aquaculture in Bangladesh is very talked and discussed topics, people know historical prospective of role of fisheries and aquaculture as main source of animal protein suppliers to masses. However, very little data or information is available on transformation of fish farming in Bangladesh in last few decades. This study has tried to take a fair outlook of tilapia and pangas farming, its approaches and development both in farming and marketing in Bangladesh. The author had little prior knowledge on fish farming though had some experiences on marketing. Prior knowledge on tilapia and pangas farming was considered as of little importance for the study and considered as good for impartial review of the current status and future potential of the market of these two important farming fish species, incidentally both are exotic species to Bangladesh. There is strong objections o introduction of exotics species to Bangladesh by certain quarters especially among academic circles without doing prior studies on their adoptability in Bangladesh ecosystem. However, good growth of tilapia and pangas in Bangladesh farms indicates its suitability as farming species under Bangladesh conditions as well as general masses has accepted theses species as food fish. There is/was no consumers backlash to pangas or tilapia in recent years, though pangas price slide in recent years was partially due to bad smell in farmed fish for over-feeding fish before harvest and partially due to bas rumors by certain quarters that also has base on bad smell. Nothing is due to its source of origin. Some stakeholders and key respondents remarked that they are surprised due to rapid expansion and increased market by farmed pangas and tilapia in Bangladesh. It is clear that economics is the prime reason behind the expansion of farming of these species.

The farming of pangas and tilapia in Bangladesh has developed following approaches: Slide in fish landing in the country from wild/ natural sources that pushed public sector initially to popularize fish farming with traditionally known farmed species specially with local/indigenous carps

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To increase biomass production from unit water area fish species known to thrive on planktonic an phyto-planktonic feeds and known to depend on vegetative feeds exotic carps from south-east Asia popularly known as Chinese carps were introduced as farmed fish.

Since indigenous Indian major carps and exotic Chinese carps are mainly cultured in relatively larger ponds/closed water bodies, tilapia was considered as small fish suitable to farm in small water bodies and season waters. However, tilapia in recent years got popularity as prized farmed fish.

Pangas initially was introduced in the country as a delicacy comparable to local riverine pangas, however, soon the so called Thai pangas has become a low cost farmed fish.

Currently both pangas and tilapia are commercially farmed under mixed culture and has become first semi- intensive fish farming in the country.

It was observed that some mixed culture farm in Mymensingh and Bogra (PRICE partner) raises pangas and tilapia together and reportedly producing as much as 50-80 ton of biomass per annum.

7.11. Production
Total production of fish in the country is reportedly 2.85 million ton from both wild and farms in fresh, brackish and marine sources. It is clamed that roughly 50% of all fish produced in the country are coming from diverse types of farming. The government records on species-wise farmed fish is fragmentary as shown in Table 1. However, the study indicated that farming share of both pangas and tilapia is rapidly increasing. Farmed pangas (almost 99% pangas traded in the country are indeed farmed origin and are those of so called Thai pangas.) has not penetrated all geographical location in the country. However, farmed tilapia is available all markets in Bangladesh in all geographical locations. The current country-wide pangas production is roughly 263,000 ton and that of tilapia is 67,000 ton (Table 19A), mostly in Bogra (Fig. 53A) and other districts.

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Fig. 53A. Tilapia sampling in high density pond in Bogra (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner)

All available information suggest that production of pangas and tilapia is going to occupy more market shares in coming years as seed production of these two important farmed species is relatively easy. Also, pangas has very high fecundity (egg laying ability) and tilapia is able to produced seeds several times in year and their parental care is remarkable that ensures high degree of survival even in wild environment.

7.12. Post harvest treatment

Pangas and tilapia are two fast growing farming species in Bangladesh and their productions are mostly concentrated in some geographical areas like greater Mymensingh and greater Bogra districts. Pangas is mostly traded in plastic containers with water under live conditions and tilapia is usually traded with ice under chilled conditions. Since these species are produced in bulk in limited geographical areas their accumulation and transport is relatively easy and less post harvest treatments are necessary. 7.12.1. Pangas

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The Thai pangas is considered as a very hardy fish and in farming conditions their survival rates are reportedly very high. The species is reported to survive long time after harvest in a little water. Its ability to survive after harvest created a new business opportunity in Bangladesh where pangas trade live is a lucrative business. It was also observed during the study most of the pangas in retail markets are still alive. The traders reported that they usually purchase from pangas supplier those who carry live pangas in big plastic drums with little water in open trucks. It was reported that pangas after harvest can survive as long as 48 hours in plastic drums on trucks. Fig. 53 shows an usual live pangas transport by trucks in plastic drums. Therefore, no post harvest treatment is necessary for live pangas trade in Bangladesh. However, small amount of dead pangas are iced and traded but fetch less prices compared to live specimens.

Fig. 53B. Transportation of live pangas with water in plastic containers

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Fig. 54. Transportation of tilapia with ice in insulated container

7.12.2. Tilapia Unlike pangas tilapia does not survive long after harvest; however they survive relatively longer than most of the carp species after harvest. In Bangladesh tilapia like all other farmed fish are usually traded in rural/village markets without chilling or icing. Fig. 54 shows chilled tilapia after reaching auction house. Small amount of tilapia harvested from small ponds are usually ends-up in village or farm adjacent markets. Only the bulk Tilapia producers sells their stuffs to auction houses. Also, accumulators often collect harvested tilapia and pooled those to auction house popularly known as aratders. In any case, no tilapia is freezed in Bangladesh, if it is not destined for export purposes.

7.13. Supply Chain

7.13.1. Pangas Supply chain of pangas in Bangladesh is more prominent compared those of tilapia. Two regions in the country, Mymensingh and Bogra where most pangas are grown are usually traded in live conditions. Reportedly, most farmed pangas are harvested during afternoon to evening to facilitate easy transportation during nights to large whole sale markets in 101

the large towns and cities. The transporters usually come with truck loaded with water in plastic drums, if possible upto farm gates. There are even commercial water suppliers with tube-well and pumps there truck loaded with plastic drums receive water like steam engine of railways. Then, harvested live pangas are quickly weighed and released to water in plastic drums. Then trucks moves to its destinations with live pangas. However, small farmers usually sell their raised pangas fish to local/village markets often in live conditions without water as pangas can survive several hours without water, though these species are not air breathing species. Fig. 55 shows farmed pangas just before harvest and Fig 56 shows pangas are carried away from ponds to weighing centres for shipment

Fig. 55. Pangas are geared to a corner of farming pond using seine net (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner in Trisal, Mymensingh ) .

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Fig. 56. Pangas are taken from farming pond using bamboo baskets (in a pond of beneficiary member of a PRICE partner)

7.13.2. Tilapia
Tilapia supply chain in Bangladesh is typically similar to those of carps and other wild/open water fishes. Harvested fish if not in significant amount is usually ends up in local/village markets or adjacent areas of farms or even at farm-gates. If, the harvested biomass is of significant amount the farmers or accumulators usually carry those to directly to aratders where the tilapia is auctioned, iced and packed in traditional insulated boxes made of woods or bamboo baskets. Then the fish are transported to tow or city markets where these fish are gain auctioned, goes to retailers and ultimately goes to consumers.

7.14. Marketing
Both pangas and tilapia as farmed species are usually retailed in traditional fish markets in Bangladesh. Consumers in the country usually purchase whole fish in retail markets and carry those to households where these are cut processed for cooking. No value

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addition for pangas and tilapia is usually done in local markets, except slicing the fish in retail markets through the retailers or professional fish cutters who usually makes slices of fish according to customers choice. Dhaka is the biggest fish market in the country and reportedly it is one of the biggest among three big fish market in the world (Some fisheries scientist claims that Dhaka is biggest fish market in the world.). Anyway, Dhaka city with an estimated population of 15 to 16 million gets its supply of fish through 8 whole sale fish markets. The estimated pangas and tilapia landing in whole sale markets in Dhaka are presented in Table 37. Through this study, it indicated that 16.4% of panags and tilapia produced in the country ended in fish markets in Dhaka. Table 37: Pangas and Tilapia Landings in whole Sale Markets in Dhaka
Kawa ran Bazar 20.5 6150 19.5 5,850 Jetrabari 17.5 5,350 11.0 3,300 Sowa righat 15.3 4,590 8.9 2,670 Abdullapur 13.5 4,050 7.8 2,340 Mugda New market 11.5 3,450 6.5 1,950 Rampura 10.2 3,060 5.6 1,680 Merul Buddah 7.5 108.1 3,630 6.9 2,070 2,250 32,530 5.5 71.7 1,650 21,510 Total

Pangas

Tilapia

Daily (ton) Yearly (ton) Daily (ton) Yearly (ton)

12.1

Total production of panags and tilapia in 2009-2010 was 330,485 ton (Table 22) and combined sale of pangas and tilapia in Dhaka markets are 54,040 ton (Table 37).

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Fig. 57. A whole sale market of Pangas

Fig. 58. A whole sale market of Pangas

A survey in a few whole sale and retail markets in Dhaka showed almost uniform prices for pangas and tilapia as shown in Table 38. The price difference in whole sale and retail markets are roughly 20-25%. Though the price differences within the city between whole

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sale and retail appears high but it was learned that manual transportation and small amount of retail by fish sellers increases the price of fish.

Table 38: Average whole sale a retail prices of Pangas and Tilapia in major markets in Bangladesh Kawaran Bazar BDT/kg Pangas Tilapia
Whole sale Retail Whole sale Retail

Jetrabari

Sowarighat

85-90 90-110 90-121 110-125

85-95 90-110 85-115 100-125

90-95 90-110 90-110 100-125

7.14. 1. Consumer Perceptions for Pangas and Tilapia As mentioned earlier, both pangas and tilapia are exotic species and peoples acceptance to anything unknown take time and if bulk is produced price usually slides. Bangladeshis are habituated of eating wild fishes and aquaculture has changed the eating habit of people especially in urban areas mostly because landing of wild/natural fishes are steadily declining. Among the farmed or cultured fish, known species like indigenous carps ranks high among the consumers. When cross-section of buyers in retailed markets were interviewed, the following facts were discovered as shown in Table 35. Familiarity of tilapia among the consumers is combatively high as the species was introduced earlier and visible amount of fish started entering markets since 1970. On the other hand, familiarity with pangas and high yielding GIFT/mono-sex tilapia is comparatively less as the fishes entered markets late compared with common tilapia. When asked whether they buy tilapia frequently, only 20% answered affirmatively in case of pangas it was only 8%. However, vast majority of the respondent answered that both pangs and tilapia are cost-effective fish. Most of surveyed respondents answered that in Bangladesh diets % of both tilapia and pangas will increase in future. Overwhelming percentages of respondents agreed that poor in future will consume more pangas
Table 39: Consumers Perception on Tilapia and Pangas as Table fish (figure in Parenthesis indicates fish introduced in the country)

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Year
Familiarity, tilapia as food fish Familiarity, pangas as food fish Familiarity, GIFT/ mono-sex as food fish 65% (1970) 47% (1995) 53% (2005) Frequently buy tilapia Frequently buy Pangas Tilapia & pangas costeffective fish

Yes
20%

No
80% Tilapia share in diet will increase Pangas share in diet will increase Poor will eat more pangas

Yes
75%

No
25%

8%

92%

65%

35%

80%

20%

90%

10%

The random survey conducted in whole sale and retail markets in Dhaka indicated an interesting fact. In wholesale markets pangs represented roughly 8% of all fish auctioned and that of tilapia share was little high (9%). However, in retailed markets it was found that representation of panags and tilapia varied from 4-5 and 5-6% (Table 40). When discussed the matter with retailers they said that a significant amount of fish in retailed markets enters directly from adjacent areas surrounding Dhaka city. They also opined that since panags and tilapia usually produced in bulk and transported in bulk by big traders and ends up in whole sale market whereas small amount of fish caught by fishermen or accumulators directly comes to retailers.
Table 40. % of Pangas and tilapia in wholesale and retail markets in Dhaka

Pangas
Whole sale Market (%) Retail market (%) 8 4-5

Tilapia
9 5-6

Both pangas and tilapia are relatively new fish in the country. Pangas is the only species in the country prices of which reportedly declined in past few years. It was reported that though inflation pushed prices of most consumables specially the edibles in the country only panags price slide significantly. However, it is not due to over supply but it appeared that farmers are now producing pangas more cost effectively and per unit area production has increased dramatically in recent years lowering down the production cost. When interviewed most of pangas farmers indicated that their profit margin has declined and they are switching from pangas farming. However, key respondents reported increased landing of pangas in successive years. When asked to consumers who usually buy panags and tilapia, why they buy the species more than 50% of pangas consumers replied that the fish relatively cheap , followed by

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12% who replied it contains more flesh. On the other hand, 37% of tilapia consumes replied they buy the fish due to its cheaper price and 24% replied tilapia sold in markets compared to other species (but pangas) shows less spoilage (Table 41).

Table 41: General Consumers preferences for Tilapia and Pangas

Relatively cheap Why you pangas Why you Tilapia buy buy 54 37

More flesh 12 17

Children like 11 9

Less Delicacy spoilage 9 24 4 6

No other way 10 7

Through random survey, it was found that in rural areas (self-proclaimed) 49% ultra poor and 48% poor claimed that they buy panags when they buy any fish. However, rural poor showed less preference to tilapia than panags, it was probably due to higher price of the species compared to pangas. The percentage consumers gradually declined with relatively greater purchasing ability as shown in Table 42 for pangas and gradually increased for tilapia, except for rich who prefer not eat both the species.

Table 42: Income based Consumers preferences for Tilapia and Pangas (Rural area)

Ultra poor Normally buying pangas (%) Normally buying Tilapia (%) 49

Poor

48

Lower middle class 35

Upper middle class 20

Rich

11

17

45

25

15

Similar trend was observed among similar income groups in urban area, however preferences for pangas increased among urban poor and middle class in urban areas also showed relatively high degree of acceptances for the species. In case of tilapia, it remains almost out of reach among urban poor and appeared to be favoured fish among middle class as shown in Table 43.

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Table 43: Income based Consumers preferences for Tilapia and Pangas (Urban area)

Ultra poor Frequently of buying pangas Frequently of buying Tilapia 65

Poor

54

Lower middle class 44

Upper middle class 27

Rich

12

37

29

7.14. 2. The Pace of Pangas and Tilapia Farming in Bangladesh

Both Pangas and mono-sex tilapia were introduced in Bangladesh during couples of decade earlier; panags came first and then GIFT tilapia followed. Introduction of GIFT variety of tilapia encouraged reproduction of mono-sex tilapia through hatcheries. Currently, the two species has emerged as fastest growing farmed aquaculture species in Bangladesh from nowhere when compared to aquaculture of 2- 3 decades back in the country. The overwhelming majority of respondents identified panags as an exotic

species (80%) when asked a simple question in survey as shown in Table 44. On the other hand, less than half (45%) identified tilapia as exotics. This was probably due to early entrance of tilapia in the country.

Table 44: Consumers Knowledge about Tilapia and Pangas in urban and rural areas Source of origin How it is produced Local Consumers awareness about pangas Consumers awareness about Tilapia 11 Exotic 80 Dont know 9 Natural 5 Farmed 91 Dont know 6

21

45

34

12

84

Exactly, half of respondents (50%) identified GIFT variety of tilapia as normal or natural

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fish (Table 45), whereas almost even number of respondents identified mono-sex tilapia as normal or hormone treated. This is a good indication that general consumers does not mind when a species is artificially manipulated to increase its production. Table 45: Consumers Knowledge about fast growing farmed Tilapia GIFT Mono-Sex Normal Genetically /Natural manipulated 50 12 Dont know 38 Normal/ Natural 28 Hormone treated 24 Dont know 48

Consumers awareness about Tilapia

As shown in Table 42, both tilapia and panags showed high degree of freshness while selling whole without any sort of value additions except keeping them alive (in water without oxygenation) and putting ice (in case of tilapia without freezing). Most of fish sold in markets (both farmed and natural other than pangas and tilapia) are reportedly partially spoil while goes to retail markets. This is probably due to faulty post harvest handlings and fortunately both panags and tilapia needs less post harvest handling to keep those fresh.

Table 46: Organoleptic test on freshness of pangas and tilapia in whole sale and retail markets Pangas Tilapia
Live Dead Blood & dart tinted Partially spoiled Live Dead Blood & dart tinted Partially spoiled

Whole sale market (%) Retail Market (%)

70 60

30 40

5 8

0 0

0 2

100 98

20 20

2 3

7.15. Value Addition

Value addition of pangas and tilapia is almost absent in Bangladesh. No fish in the country is usually processed if not exported. Very little amount of farmed pangas and

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tilapia are exported from the country. While discussed the matters with fish processors, it was reported that fish from Bangladesh usually goes to ethnic markets (to Bangladeshis living abroad). It was also reported that ethnic markets abroad has most demands for natural fish available and harvested from wild. Cultured/farmed fish when exported also reportedly traded falsely as wild fish. Most Bangladeshi living abroad is well aware that Thai pangas and tilapia is not available wild and they shun buying these two species reported by a processor. I local markets, no demand has been crated for yet f ready to cook or ready to eat fish products. Therefore value addition of pangas and tilapia restricted to icing only to prolong their freshness for a considerable time. It may be mentioned that the low cost value addition of fish in Bangladesh is drying. Dry fish traders reported that neither pangas nor tilapia is used for dry fish manufacturing. Table 47 shows local consumers responses towards value addition of pangas and tilapia for local consumers. More than half (53%) of all respondents replied positively when asked whether they will buy cost-effective snacks (finger foods) made from fish. Unfortunately majority of respondents are unaware about value added products may be produced using pangas and tilapia flesh.
Table 47: Local Consumers Knowledge about pangas and Tilapia based valued added products (VAP)

Yes (%)
Do you know about edible VAP? Have you heard that VA fish ball may be made from pangas? Have you heard that VA fish ball may be made from Tilapia? Did you heard about pangas fillet? Did you heard about tilapia fillet? Did you heard about finger foods like fish and chips? Will you buy any cost-effective finger food produced from fish? 40 0 5 0 5 15 53

No (%)
25 60 60 30 40 45 13

No idea (%)
35 40 45 70 55 40 34

7.16. Employment in Pangas and Tilapia Business in Supply/Value Chain

The expanded farming of both pangas and tilapia also creating economic activities in

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forward and backward supply chain linkages and becoming important livelihood options for many people in rural Bangladesh. Currently, pangas and tilapia farming incorporates medium to large farmers who can afford initial investments for high density farming demanding huge inputs to raise a crop. Small-scale fish farmers can also participate in farming of pangas and tilapia for family consumptions as well as for sale. Growth of pangas and tilapia farming if linked with more competitive commercialised production may discourage resource-poor farmers. However, resource poor farmers can go for carps and small sized fish production demands for those species is also increasing and fetching high prices as well. If quality grade and high production of pangas and tilapia could be done cost-effectively under Bangladesh conditions, export of fillet may become a reality. If this is materializes, in turn it will generate huge job and self-employment opportunities, and economic activities in rural areas in Bangladesh will provide high economic return/output. It is expected that urban population in Bangladesh will continue to increase creating higher demand for lost-cost fish like pangas to poor and low income segment of population. Similarly middle class population will also expand in urban and rural areas that will also create demand for medium and high cost fish like tilapia. Therefore, it is expected that income and employment through pangas and tilapia farming will increase and sustain in long run if even fillet production and export using pangas and tilapia doesnt take place. However, sliding of pangas market is partly due to bad smell generates in farmed fish by over-feeding of low cost smelled supplemental feedings and not stop feeding before harvest. Pangas is a voracious eater and whatever fed is applied it engulfs it. Pangas farmers very often to increase weight of harvested feed over-fed the fish with supplemental feeds but application of feed before harvest though allow fish to partially absorb feed in their blood stream but does not helps to assimilate thus creating bad smell in cooked fish and consumer backlash reduces the price. If proper depuration is applied, i.e., stop applying supplemental feeds 48-72 hours before harvest then pangas will be a lucrative fish to consumers. Tilapia is already is getting popularity among middle class and its prices showing upward trends.

7.17. Profitability in pangas and tilapia farming

Average margins from first sale to consumer are some 16 & 11 % for pangas and tilapia. There is some evidence much greater margins for some selected fresh water fish and marine species like hilsa, pomfret and sea bass exits in Bangladesh. Where demand is 112

elastic, with small numbers of buyers, fishers in remote communities harvest fish with seasonal variations margin of profit may also vary. Conversely, farmers selling to village markets may only lose around 10-20 % of the final retail price. Apart from remote rural farming areas, trading margins are usually kept low through competition for raw materials and inaccessible for larger vehicles like trucks. However, the balance of market power and social impact is complicated by the role of aratders (primary market agents) and intermediaries controlling the supply chain of tilapia and pangas. Around 100 % of the total output of pangas and tilapia is sold in fresh form as pangas cant be dried due to high percentage of lipids/oils and tilapia is relatively expensive fish for manufacturing dry fish. As a whole, dry fish manufacturing Bangladesh is usually done with mainly discarded fish or when bulk is harvested. Anyway, while farmed pangas and tilapia provides a relatively stable and easily distributed chain of marketing, the supply chain of farmed pangas and tilapia is not long and value chain does not exists as nothing ready to eat or ready to cook stuffs are manufactured. However, high nutritional values of the farmed fishes are is retained upto consumer levels as most of the fishes are marketed in fresh conditions. As the pangas and tilapia are not stored for long the use of chemicals or preservatives is not necessary. As mentioned earlier, there are no specified market sizes for any fishes in the country, farmers for a reason or other occasionally harvest small sized fish that may cause sudden surplus supplies and small sized tilapia and pangas may create seasonal gluts and price slides.

7.18. Future Development

Traditionally pond aquaculture in Bangladesh involved mainly carp polyculture comprising roughly 12-13 species, indigenous species popularly known as Indian major carps and exotic species mainly Chinese carps along with small indigenous species is reportedly accounts major share of production. Monoculture and high density farming involving mixed farming of fish with supplemental feeding is a new development in Bangladesh aquaculture. Currently, Monoculture of mainly pangas and tilapia and /or mixed culture of the two or incorporation of pangas and tilapia with other species in high density farming is getting popularity in some regions like Mymensingh and Bogra regions. Though the emphasis for inland aquaculture remains mixed carp culture, throughout the country mainly for domestic consumptions and excess for sale; however, recent trend for commercial farming of fish in Bangladesh is focusing to high yielding and easy to farm species, mainly pangas and tilapia.

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A current focus is on promoting small indigenous and exotic species; like climbing perch and stinging catfish is getting popularity in Mymensingh areas with important local food supply benefits, and increasing market prices. There is strong demand for climbing perch and stinging catfishes to export markets as well. However, demand for pangas and tilapia as food fish will increase in coming years as these species could be farmed most costeffectively for low income group of population in Bangladesh. The pangas has already nicknamed as poor mans fish due to its relatively low price, high protein and high lipid content and high flesh recovery rates. Children also like pangas as table fish as no intramuscular bones exists, fleshes are soft and lipid content is high. Though margin of profits by pangas farmers is declining and most farmer claims that if price does increase they may abandon pangas culture, but in reality number of pangas farming in the country is increasing. The loss in profit margin by pangas farmers are mitigated by intensifications in farming. PRICE reported that some pangas farmers registered as high as 87 ton of production in a hectare (10,000 sq m or 2.471 acres) of water body per annum.

7.19. Post harvest and marketing of Pangas and tilapia

Post-harvest treatment prior to marketing of pangas and tilapia in Bangladesh is focused mainly eyeing at domestic markets. The post harvest steps are harvesting, pooling, transportation, distribution, and limited processing like cleaning and icing those targeted towards domestic markets in bulk, catering or retail forms. Unfortunately neither tilapia nor pangas is in the list of export items from Bangladesh yet. There are some 3 - 5 million workers within the domestic market and distribution sectors dealing with tilapia and pangas including forward and backward linkages. Within the overall supply chain (no value chain exists for pangas and tilapia in Bangladesh), fishers/producers generate an average 50% of retail price, and as value added within post-harvest sector is almost nil, the result of diversified markets with relatively high levels of competition between buyers and market intermediaries.

7.20. Export Potential of Pangas and Tilapia

Since Bangladesh apparently produces huge amount of pangas and tilapia in recent days, organized and large commercial farmers are eying for export markets. There are 124 shrimp processing factories in the country those are currently utilizing hardly 20% of

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their processing capacities, and farmers are keen to open export market for tilapia and pangas. However, problem is that Bangladesh fish/shrimp processors has no experiences to export frozen fish to general frozen food markets; they mostly exports whole frozen fish to ethic markets and in ethnic markets aboard, tilapia and pangas is not good candidate. While discussing with some processing plants at Chittagong, Jessore and Khulna region in relation to prospect of pangas and tilapia export from Bangladesh, it was reported that fin fish export from Bangladesh is still confined to ethnic markets abroad where sizable Bangladesh population lives. Penetration to general frozen food market is possible with tilapia and pangas but not in the form of whole frozen fish, rather boneless fillet form. Processors agreed that there is market abroad for tilapia and pangas fillet but Bangladesh does not have the expertise to make fillet neither by mechanically nor by hands. One processor also mentioned that though raw materials for pangas and tilapia fillet is available in Bangladesh but strong domestic markets discourage filleting as fish fillet preparation produces huge buy-product roughly 50% of the biomass that causes price rise of the fillet. He mentioned that his processing plant has trained manpower with UK experts for hand filleting but cost-effective raw materials for fillet preparation is not available. The cause of strong domestic market for whole fish is due to the fact that Bangladeshi eats whole fish including skin and head of fish, while fillet preparation discards all except boneless flesh.
Table 48: Farmers Response to Exporting Panags and Tilapia from Bangladesh

Do you know farmed pangas may be exported Do you know farmed pangas may be exported Do you feel pangas price is high in local market Do you feel tilapia price is high in local market Will you feel initial export price should be lower than local price Will you sell yearly fixed priced fish for export with slightly lower price? Do you feel processors offering lower price than export price?

Yes (%) 70 50 0 0 0 0 70

No (%) 15 10 80 75 90 100 0

No idea (%) 15 40 20 25 10 0 30

As mentioned above, value addition of pangas and tilapia in domestic markets does not exist. It is not only for tilapia or pangas but true for all fish species in the country, except

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a few those are used for dry fish manufacturing or some other local delicacy preparation (like hidol in Mymensingh areas). When discussed with large farmers producing pangas and tilapia in bulk especially in Mymensingh and Bogra regions they have shown strong desire to export of pangas and tilapia (Table 44) to sustain their farming as domestic prices often slides or fluctuate specially for pangas. Recent report on pangas and tilapia fillet export by some countries in south-East Asia also encouraged farmers in Bangladesh to enter in export markets. When discussed the matters with aquaculture team of members of PRICE they mentioned that PRICE also trying to facilitate export of pangas and tilapia fillets from Bangladesh as strong demand in West-European countries exists for fish fillet. However, it was mentioned by PRICE officials and a processing factory in Gazipur that domestic price of pangas and tilapia are though less than compared other farmed fish species but still it is higher that pangas and tilapia fillet exporting countries. The price offered by fillet manufacturers to fish farmers is much below the price of fish in local markets. The processors mentioned that the waste produced while preparation fillet is almost 50% of the biomass of the fish (both tilapia and pangas) and outright raw materials prices jumps to double to that of domestic prices. The processors also mentioned until some commercial uses of the waste is discovered pangas or tilapia fillet export from Bangladesh will not be lucrative to fish processors. It may be mentioned that there is no set market size of fish species in Bangladesh. Consumer purchase whatever sized fish is marketed with little variation in prices. However, to prepare fish fillet certain size range is necessary. Pangas farmers in Mymensingh and Bogra areas mentioned that if they get advance orders they will be able to produce any required amount of biomass of fish with specific sizes. However, present scenario does not favourable for pangas or tilapia fillet preparation for export purposes.

7.21. Future of pangas and tilapia markets of Bangladesh

The growth of aquaculture in Bangladesh with prospects declining landings in the capture sector may be considered as a conclusion. The increased output, and corresponding gains in value in fish farming sector as a whole and pangas and tilapia in particular may be considered vital to supply poor mans animal protein. It may be mentioned that rural poor have some excess to animal protein through community fishing and harvesting wild fish from open water ecosystem. However, urban poor needs to buy animal protein from the market ad here lies the future prospect of pangas and tilapia markets. So far both pangas and tilapia are two species that is available in market cost-effectively. Small sized pangas and tilapia are relatively cheap and affordable by urban poor. The expansions of 116

urban dwellers in cities and towns are creating huge demand for low cost or cost effective fish sources and surely pangas and tilapia are two candidates for expanded farming and production. However, the impact mass scale production of pangas and tilapia will change access to food supply by urban poor and will improve the quality of lives and livelihoods. Low cost fish should be accessible not only to urban poor but for different groups of people particularly to the people having no access to aquaculture by their own. These must be understood that access to quality grade foods like animal protein is a must for all for a health life. Also, gradually income of different segment of people are increasing ad when that is interpreted to buying capability, huge demand is envisaged for low cost fish like pangas and tilapia in future. The prognosis aquaculture in general and pangas and tilapia in particular is positive, while that for capture fisheries, is at best slightly negative due to long term effects of a declining resource base, and the practical difficulties of management. Based on the quality and availability of national aquatic resources it can be forecasted that pangas and tilapia (mainly GIFT and mono-sex) are two potential candidates for the future mass scale production through aquaculture. More Production of pangas and tilapia for the masses can be materialized by the added networks of quality input supplies; inbred free seeds, cost-effective but quality grade feeds with high feed conversion rates, responsible farming and post harvest handlings, hygienic transportation and storages and cool chain management. The market and distribution, value added product development and export particularly to general frozen foods markets in USA and EU countries may boost pangas and tilapia farming in the country. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh so far exported fish to ethnic markets abroad where Bangladeshis living abroad always prefer indigenous wild species, and as exotic species pangas and tilapia has less attractions. In ethnic markets whole fish is exported, whereas in general frozen fish market fillet has more demand. It is true that urban population/consumers especially those of low and medium income groups will be benefit from increased supply of pangas and tilapia. Rural people may continue to produces lime and fertilization based carp and other small fish farming on a low input low return basis for family consumptions and excess for sale. It may mentioned that vast majority of house hold farmers who owns small ponds in court-yard may not be able to produce pangas and tilapia in mass scale as pond they owns are not designed primarily for fish farming but rather to supply water for household needs.

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A range of public and private sector investments and initiatives will be needed to realize the potential for change, growth and expanding economic output from commercial farming of tilapia and pangas. Though some constraints can be recognized, the prospects for doing so are positive, and the recent record of medium and large scale commercial private sector enterprise farming tilapia and pangas display the emerging farming sector that may sustain totally depending on domestic demand. Demand for pangas and tilapia to export markets will an added advantage for commercial farming of these two important species. However, while prospects for the farming of pangas and tilapia is positive, a major challenge is to lure vast majority of domestic consumers with bad odorless fish in benefits to the many millions of Bangladeshs low income people for whom fish is very important food item.

7.22. Economic Performance of Pangas and Tilapia Farming in Bangladesh

The fishery resources, both from natural sources and farming to the people of Bangladesh are very important. Fish farming has become an important economic activity in the country, especially in rural areas. . Aquaculture widely acknowledged being critical to both the economy and to the livelihoods of millions of poor people. Fish consumption remains a major source of essential dietary nutrients in most households. Private sector investment has grown substantially for commercial farming with tilapia and pangas. Though significant growth potential in the aquaculture sub-sector remains unrealized for carp and other important species like prawns and shrimps, but high yield farming of pangas and tilapia has created an opportunity of employment, self-employment, investments and income. It is true that both pangas and tilapia are high yielding but they demand high rate of inputs and produces huge aquaculture affluent when fed with low cost feeds that may led to increased environmental degradation and ecosystem if the affluent are discarded outside of farming areas without treatments. The expanding population creating huge demand for animal protein and a land scarce country like Bangladesh could not afford horizontal expansion for traditional fish farming with low outputs. However, pollution is major threat to the expansion and management of the high density/semi-intensive farming of pangas and tilapia. There is a good option for Bangladesh to introduce and popularize cage farming of pangas and tilapia as the country has vast open water resources that are already over-exploited. Cage farming in Bangladesh is still under experimental stages producing 2-3,000 ton of mono-sex tilapia annually in two spots in Bangladesh, 118

Lakshmipur and Chandpur. However, signs are there that cage farming will be high yielding economic activities based on community fisheries resources of open water. Pangas is likely but mono-sex tilapia certainly will be most suitable farming species in cages. Over the time period of two decades or so a broad range of changes has taken place in fish farming industry in Bangladesh. The successful adaptation of artificial induced breeding of local and exotic carps since early 1980s, introduction of pangas and GIFT (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia) varieties of tilapia in late 1980s transformed household based fish farming in Bangladesh to a commercial industrial based controlled and high density farming. Introduction of dry pellet and over-wintering of fish seeds, use of ground water has transformed season fish farming to perennial farming. Behind these positive development; decreasing access to natural assets and fisheries physical resources, decline in natural brood and local carp seed supplies, increased relocation of people from rural areas to cities and towns, changing labour pattern from agriculture farm labour to industrial labour mostly to garments industries, improving communication and infrastructure developments, dam and irrigation projects implementations, changes in traditional social networks, destruction of natural fish habitat and nursing and breeding grounds, increased pollution, river siltation and environmental degradation caused decline in natural fish supplies. The situation has created demand for vertical production of fish in a unit area with high inputs and high investments. All farming species used in Bangladesh doesnt qualify as candidates for high density or semi-intensive farming. Fortunately, pangas and tilapia has shown potential for high density farming with high yields. So far under Bangladesh conditions mixed farming of pangas and other carp/tilapia species has recorded as high as 86 ton/ha/year by some farmers in Mymensingh region. Tilapia also has shown very high density farming und cage culture where a cage of 20x20x7 feet is capable to produce 1500 kg/year in three crops of 3-4 months duration. These factors along with Government Policy initiatives and targets of producing more fish in coming days will have a positive impact for high density closed and open water fish farming in Bangladesh. The high density farming has been successful in private sector. The private sector has played a significant role in mass production of costeffective seeds of farming species, and also increased investment in key areas such as fish seed production, feed manufacturing, improved nursing, over-wintering, other micro and macro input supply and transportation. Donor agency support in the from of technical assistances and investment in the sector over the past few decades decade has tended to 119

focus on the provision of public and private sector services, especially extension, human resource development and enterprise developments. Unfortunately, increased investment towards research and to fisheries resource management in recent years has not brought desired results. Especially introduction and popularization of pangas and mono-sex tilapia was done mostly by private sector initiatives. The outcomes of donor support towards overall aquaculture have been generally positive but limited in scale, and development of tilapia and pangas farming got almost no donor supports. Here, it may be mentioned that tilapia due to its year round seed production capabilities were introduced in Bangladesh in late 1950s and expected it will increase pond based fish production in the country. However, it did not metalized as Mozambican variety of tilapia though produced many mouths but little biomass and it became a farming hazards.

However, introduction of the GIFT and changed the scenario and soon, mono-sex tilapia seed production through hatcheries production got momentum. The mono-sex tilapia has become a very good culture species throughout the country within a very short term. Since both pangas and tilapia are farmed with artificial supplementary feeds, overfeeding is a problem and accumulation of uneaten feed particles, faces of fish pollutes farming water soon and farmed fish are either fraught with danger of bad smell, disease outbreaks or parasitic infections. To get rid of the water pollution and over feeding due to ignorance, rational feed management is necessary. Floating feed is suitable for judicious utilization of supplementary feeds in high density farming. Few feed companies in recent years has build-up capacity to produce and market floating feeds in the country and it has got popularity rapidly among pangas and tilapia farmers. The case of tilapia, the GIFT in general and mono-sex in particular has made it as easy farming a species as well. Moreover, both GIFT and Mono-sex could be raised for 2-3 crops annually. The species also could farm in seasonal water bodies and also in hanging cages in rivers. Both GIFT and Mono-sex are well domesticated and planned farming of the species has become popular. Unlike pangas, GIFT or mono-sex tilapia has not yet experienced and price slide or consumer backlash. Pangas due to farmers malpractice develops highly bad smell of ingested feed and consumers reacts strongly that lead of price slide of farmed pangas.

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The economic performance of tilapia and pangas farming is one of important part of this study, together with its effects on livelihoods, self-employments, opportunistic employments and integrated farming and food security options. The tilapia and pangas farming review reveals the positive aspects of commercial farmers where investment to be focused for the sustainability of the farming itself and its viability a new economic activities in rural Bangladesh, to ensure positive and sustainable impact in rural socioeconomic conditions. In particular, the farming of these two important species (incidentally two species are exotic in nature) provides the foundation to both commercial farming and marketing and trends of output and value, production, marketing and consumption. From these, it outlines the potential scenarios for growth, regulation and change and the corresponding impacts on investment and its allocation, on income and its distribution, on employment, food supply and security, and on resource use and value. The high density farming of pangas and tilapia can be broadly described in terms of its productivity, seed production in hatcheries, commercial nursing, over-wintered nursing expanded fish seed trades, embedded services provided by different value chain actors is enhancing the prospect of more production from an unit water area. The culture of pangas and tilapia to marketable sizes with supplemental feeds will enhance sustainability of their farming in rural Bangladesh. Commercial farming of pangas and tilapia from small-scale household to commercially organized corporate entity generates economic activities often periodic or seasonal short-term activity, to permanent and continuous operations. The farming of tilapia should not be categories as singular economic activities. The forward and backward linkages to the farming are connected together in various forms of inter-linking enterprises, geographic, management or monetary linkage. The relative importance of these various elements of the sector should be kept in mind when economic importance of the pangas and tilapia farming is considered. Regardless of the kind of economic activity; seed production, conventional nursing, overwintered nursing, seed trade, grow-out culture, harvesting, transportation, whole sale and retail marketing, pangas and tilapia production and marketing cycles generates diverse economic activities in rural Bangladesh. The people involved in these economic activities can be described in which natural resources are brought together with human interaction, skills and purpose to yield a range of outputs or products which are in turn used and consumed in the wider society.

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In these economics activities related to farming of pangas and tilapia decisions on various forms of transaction and exchange are involved, whether in supplying immediate household/consumer demands, organized groups demand like hostels, dormitories, police, armed forces and jails and generating increasingly more common monetary values. In Bangladesh, as in every other developing economy, products increasingly enter market chains, and these chains are increasingly connected between rural and urban populations and economies and their interaction not only generate economic activities but also create employment opportunities. In defining these market chains/supply chains, it is clear that many different groups of people may be involved, carrying out a range of roles and functions, from the supply of raw materials, diverse inputs, from seed production to the harvesting and production of table fish, provision of various services, transportation, storage, and in the organization of supply to meet consumer requirements. Each of these market chain related functions involves transactions, in which lower value, lower quality disaggregated materials are brought together to generate higher value, higher quality products for definable purposes. In drawing an economic description of the farmed pangas and tilapia, therefore, it is important to identify these elements, the people they represent, and the quantities and values concerned. In most cases these can be represented in simple monetary terms, though in some instances alternatives may need to be described. These forward and backward linkages around the primary production activity are important in defining the overall significance of a particular economic activity, the underlying trends which may change these, and the wider implications of decisions for development.

7.22.1. Specific issues which are explored in the market study included the followings; - Relative delivery of diverse types of economic activity and their inclination in relation to pangas and tilapia farming - The dynamic feature which influence probable change in farming of pangas and tilapia, market situations and penalty of future strategies under changing scenario - Direct and indirect connections between farming related economic activities and performance of farmed fishes in market situations - The sensitivity of the consumers on accepting cultured fish farmed with supplemental feeds and under high density farming - The precise decision and opportunities to key policy and management verdict by

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the public sector in relations to pangas and tilapia farming Evaluation of social reaction on introduction of exotics to Bangladesh environment without testing

7.23. Expected long term benefit of pangas and tilapia farming in Bangladesh
This topic explain the pangas and tilapia farming related economic activities in output and value terms, and throughout supply chain steps to describes the linkages with the people directly or indirectly associated with farming of this two important species, their relative dependence on farming activities, and the traditions in which specific production leads to type of consumption, income generation and employment opportunities arising from these farming activities. The benefits associated with pangas and tilapia farming can be interpreted in nonspecific expressions and specifically for level of wealth or opportunity created through these farming activities. The link specifically with the livelihood of the farmers associated with pangas and tilapia farming under local environment and ecological conditions that may be linked with human resource development in farming and in terms of the economic opportunities which may provide increased biomass output unparallel to other species farming. Even as all forms of benefit arising from farming of these two species cannot necessarily be defined in fully adaptable terms, it is important to determine where and how it occurs and how responsive it is to alter low productive farms to highly productive ones. These points of view widen further to the issues of determining whether benefits can be sustained, expanded and developed further. This is important to know, whether the farming of particular crop (e.g. pangas and tilapia) using natural or created physical resources can result in the continued delivery of products and services for economic and social benefits. Further, certain farming based economic activities, like pangas and tilapia farming in the present form should not diminish future opportunities. These issues cannot necessarily be determined within the context of two species or even aquaculture alone water supplies from rain and or ground sources and its quality; and the nature of species to density tolerance and adaptation to supplemental feeds are for example valuable in decision making to chose the farming of a particular species. There

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are many external influences that may determine long term perspective for a farm product, but actions and decisions taken within the sector can be critical. However, farmers are the one who takes the decision and hardly have they taken wrong decisions. For example while talking to aquaculture staffs of PRICE including team leader they sincerely express their view that 20 years back no one thought that supplemental feed like dry pellets will be feasible under Bangladesh socio-economic conditions; people at that time suggested and sincerely believed that plankton feeding carps and related species will be most profitable and environmentally sound for Bangladesh aquaculture sector to flourish. Now situation has changed significantly, all feeding tilapia and voracious eater pangas has suddenly became lovely farmed species among the commercial farmers simply because these species grows fast, feed conversion ratio is predictable and most importantly they have created market among masses, bulk production will not face any market glut at the same time these species are cost-effective among low income groups of population. Consumers are usually the first determinants of future potentials for a consumable product. Point of view on sustainability varies under different conditions; but it requires that economic benefits are distributed with sufficient equity for long term sustainability. For sustainability the key feature of most primary farmed products depends on how much natural resource is drained to produce a unit of the product. Fortunately, pangas and tilapia compared to their counterpart farmed species utilizes relatively less natural resources and the waste produced by the farming of these species are biodegradable and could be used as energy sources for field or even aquaculture crops. It is often said that aquaculture should focus to eliminate poverty at rural areas where resource poor farming families lives; also it is said that aquaculture is one of main area where family based nutrition can get upgraded where farming families will have more excesses to animal protein, lipid, fat-soluble vitamins and micro-nutrient sources for better and sustainable livelihoods approaches. The farming of both pangas and tilapia not only fulfill the above mentioned criteria but it also directly or indirectly focuses to supply relatively cheap sources of animal protein and other nutritional inputs to urban poor. The number of urban poor is increasing at a rapid pace. Since, urban population must be fed and there needs an expanded supply of cost-effective animal protein and commercial farming of pangas and tilapia can perform a big role in this context.

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8. Future Observations Initiatives on Pangas and Tilapia Farming for its Sustainability
A mentioned earlier, pangas and tilapia, two exotic species has already taken a significant market share in the country and commercial farming of these species is increasing at a rapid pace. However, for long term sustainability certain areas needs to be observed carefully and interventions/corrective measure are also needed so that total supply chin, forward and backward linkages remain sustainable. The areas that need careful observations and corrective/preservation measures are as follows:

8.1. Maintenance of Seed Quality

Initially, assessment of current and potential demand of pangas and mono-sex tilapia (most farming dealing with high-growth tilapia farming is actually done with mono-sex tilapia) fingerling, and its availability of in-terms of current and expanding farming areas throughout the country. As mentioned earlier, quality of aquaculture seeds are very often deteriorates due to inbreeding problem and careful selection of genetically pure broods are necessary for the quality grade seed in hatcheries. Since in Bangladesh hatcheries are not registered and reportedly hatchery law is under formulation it is really difficult to ensure quality of seed of popular farming species. The cases of exotic species are more severe as the genetic resources are not available in nature and whenever, a genetic corruption id detected it are necessary to import/collect pure genetic resources from its source of origin. Both tilapia and pangas are imported species and already there are serious questions already raised farmers and others that the fish are not growing that fast as it was growing previously.

8.2. Preservation of Quality Grade Broods

To maintain the seed quality of these two important farmed species of fish, it is necessary to maintain and preserved pure genetic quality of the species, if it is necessary by collecting those resources from its source of origin. Establishment of gene bank under Bangladesh condition appears little difficult and time consuming when discussed the

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matter with experts in the line. However, experienced people suggested that collection of pure genetic resources is not very difficult as Bangladesh now has thriving and expanding aquarium business and most of the species are reportedly imported. Once, required genetic resources are procured it will be easy to maintain its genetic purity by preserving those in protected ponds in flood free zone with high raised embankments so that brood are not allowed to escape in nature during frequent floods in Bangladesh. Once genetic pure broods are raised, selective breeding and supply of ensured genetically pure broods to commercial hatcheries will ensure country-wide genetically pure seed supplies of tilapia and pangas.

8.3. Popularization of Over-wintered Seeds of the two species

Over-wintering of seeds is prerequisite for perennial farming of fish in Bangladesh where all farmed species are seasonal breeder, except tilapia. Tilapia though breeds almost round the year but their fecundity (egg laying capacity) reportedly declines during winter. Anyway, commercial seed production of like all other species both tilapia and pangas also follow the seasonal cycles; i.e., monsoon based April to August of the year. Though tilapia can breed round the year and mono-sex seed production uses little baby tilapia for sex-reversal and bulk of baby tilapia supplies also comes from monsoon peak season of seed production. Bangladesh aquaculture is in the exponential phase of increase and both tilapia and pangas has already entered in high density based perennial farming with pre-nursed fingerling stockings. In large farms fry of fish is nursed to fingerling stages that effectively reduces grow-out farming period and farmers using pre-nursed juvenile fish for grow-out farming are able to harvest more than an crop using same grow-out water body. This procedure effectively ensures maximum utilization of available physical aquaculture resources and is fist step towards cost-effective production and increasing competitiveness of farms for long term sustainability.

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However, to have a true perennial farming system developed round the year supply of adequate amount/quantity of seeds is prerequisite. Season based production cant ensure that. To overcome the problem a new system in aquaculture seed supply scheme has developed that is called over-wintering process. The term over-wintering has been described earlier in detail and PRICE reportedly encouraging the popularization of the OW seeds. The initiative by PRICE is recommendable but rapid outreach of overwintering is necessary for expansion and sustainability of commercial farming of pangas and tilapia together with other important farmed species in aquaculture.

8.4. Quality Grade Feeds

Currently two fish species those are basically farmed by suing supplemental and artificially produced feed are pangas and tilapia. Further, semi-intensive farming with production potential of 50 ton/ha or above annually is also achieved in case of pangas and tilapia only. Throughout the country and especially in Mymensingh and Boora regions high density farming is basically done using dry pellet feeds commercially produced by feed mills. Unfortunately, the quality of feed produced in the country is not excellent in quality. Farmers have a tendency to buy low cost feed and to fulfill the demand of farmers feed millers incorporate low cost stuffs while manufacturing pellet and that ends up in most cases over supply of carbohydrate based ingredients and often loaded with cellulose. These types of feed are basically junk feed that deteriorates quality of feeds, health of farming water and bottom soil of pond. Therefore, it is necessary to encourage feed millers to manufacture quality grade feeds and to educate farmers to use quality grade feeds for better production. The talking point should be not the price of feed but the resultant feed efficiency.

8.5. Selection of Thrust Areas for Pangas and Tilapia Farming

Currently, most pangas and tilapia are produced in Mymensingh, Bogra and Jessore regions. Since pangas and tilapia are consumed in unban areas especially at lower income groups of urban population, its productions hubs should be nearer to huge consumers 127

groups or in areas from where the harvested stuffs could be transported. The main consumers centers in the country are Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and other larger cities and towns where sizable low income poor population congregate. Therefore farming activities involving pangas and tilapia should focus o annual and seasonal demand in those markets to maximize production based on demand in the probable markets. Since population in the country and urbanization is expanding in a rapid pace, demand for pangas and tilapia in coming years is also expected to expand.

8.6. Cage Farming of Pangas and Tilapia

Cage farming of fish in Bangladesh has good prospect through it has not yet emerged as a significant economic activity. However, water pollution and accumulated sludge problems in land based fish farming and associated problems has created opportunities for alternative aquaculture, floating cage farming, where holding of fish inside floating cages while permitting water exchange and waste removal into the surrounding water. Bangladesh is blessed with huge flowing fresh water and perennial water bodies in big lakes and natural depressions suitable for cage farming. Cage culture is not popular in Southeast Asian fishermen. The intentional confinement of fish in cages to increase their size is a technology dating back to the early 1900s. Today cage culture is practiced in many regions of the world, and is a thriving industry in some areas producing huge fish biomass from relatively small caged water area, creating job opportunities, development of associated industries and new economic activities and income generation. Previously, Bangladesh lacked materials needed for cage constructions, especially nylon and other durable synthetic meshes, floats etc. Currently synthetic meshed nets are manufactured locally suitable for cage farming and plastic drums imported with crude soybean oil could be used as floats. Bamboo or iron slats and wire are available for support structure to hold the floating cages on river water or suspended above the bottom of a body of water. Most importantly, Bangladesh now produces commercial floating feeds with good FCR and moderate rates. The price of floating feed of similar category of sinking pellets is BDT 1.0-2.0 higher per kg.

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Cage culture in Bangladesh started recently using mono-sex tilapia in Chandpur and Lakshmipur areas, one of the most important farmed species currently available in Bangladesh. If, cage farming of tilapia and pangas flourish in the country, expansion of farming and landing of these two important farmed species will be tremendous. Anyway to farm mono-sex tilapia in cages, currently farmers use mostly bamboo or iron slats, nylon nets and plastic drums to construct floating cages as shown below.

Fig 59.. Floating cage farming involving mono-sex tilapia (Picture: Source Aquaculture unit, PRICE)

Iron slats are relatively more durable and strong, but heaver and expensive compared to bamboo that are lightweight but do not last long. Usually, two layer of mesh are used in hanging cage, fine layer few feet deep to prevent floating feeds drifting away, but bigger mesh in main cage allow complete exchange of water volume based on flow of water. Meshed cage allow free passage of fish wastes, prevent escape of captive fish but not stress or injure fish, flowing water prevents fouling of raised fish; feeding and harvesting process is inexpensive and fish could be harvested at will. A the top of cages a protective layer of net is used to protect fish from jumping away or preyed on by fish eating birds. The cages are usually anchored to prevent from washed away. Bangladesh being land of rivers can raise huge amount of fish by cage farming using fast growing and high priced domesticated fresh water fish species. In this connection tilapia and pangas may be considered the promising candidate for cage farming. The seed production, nursing, over-wintering of these species are easy and cost-effective. Coastal areas of the country are fraught with danger of cyclone and tidal bore; early warning of these natural disasters is helpless to protect land based fish farming of farmers. However, floating cage with fish could be salvage by quick harvest, if fish are marketable sizes or

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may be towed to a safer place. Besides, pangas and tilapia are two species domesticated earlier and considered most tamed species among the farmed fish species.

Fig 60. High density rising of tilapia in cages

Fig 61. Large sized tilapia may be produced in cages (a beneficiary member of a PRICE partner)

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A recent trip to a cage farming area in Chandpur, aquaculture team of PRICE evaluated the prospect of promoting cage culture in rivers, low lying areas, natural depressions or lakes and came out with a positive notes that under climate change and rise of sea and river level scenario, cage farming is worth of testing. PRICE is negotiating with group of cage farmers for a partnership to improve cage farming interims of cages durability, maximizing production, species diversification, market linkages for export, and de-facto fish sanctuary and biodiversity protections in selected part of the rivers. A single trip to Chandpur during the study, showed that high density farming of mono-sex tilapia (Fig 60), good growth I cages (Fig. 61) may be achieved through cage farming under Bangladesh conditions. Cage farming unlike pond based fish/shrimp aquaculture is risk-free of dissolve oxygen (DO) shortage that is responsible for mass killings of farmed fish and shrimp, if peddle wheels are not used in relatively high density farming. Therefore, tilapia and pangas may be considered as ideal species for cages as high density farming involving these two species are already proved successful o land and there is good prospect for them in cages as well. . It may be mentioned that while floating cages are used for fish farming, continuous feeding and excretion by captive fish release fragmented feed particles and lure wild fish at peripheral areas, enhance plankton growth and attracts wild plankton eating fish, and hanging cages creates sanctuary for wild fishes to escape fishing nets. Consequently, cage culture in rivers will indirectly protect part of wild stocks in river from over exploitation that is a serious problem in Bangladesh. As tilapia and pangas are habituated in high density farming and resultant waste disposal is a problem in land based aquaculture, but in floating cages waste disposal will not be a problem. Land based pond farming in most cases are seasonal business as vast majority of fish farmers trap and uses monsoon water for farming and during dry season most ponds dry up. In case of cage farming water will not be a problem and farming could be done round the year. If, cage farming could be institutionalized, it will also create other supporting industries, like net manufacturing, cage construction, floating feed manufacturing, nursing of fish, supplying fingerlings and expand related business. So far, a few successful cage farming initiatives has been undertaken in two places; namely, Dakatia river basin in Chandpur and Rahamatkhali river mouth meeting point to vast Meghna River. This isolated idea was undertaken by a private citizen with

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encouragement from Team Leader PRICE Aquaculture, who became interested after knowing about cage farming through reports, publications and interneting. The initiative is still small but signs are there that it may flourish rapidly, if extension plan is executed through demonstration, especially how to construct, install and operates the cages in vast flowing rivers or open water bodies like hoars and boars. The cage farming of in Lakshmipur and Chandpur may be considered highly successful as it recorded three crops of mono-sex tilapia per year with a production of 3.2 ton per cages (20x12x7 feet) with a feed efficiency of 1.5 to 1.9 kg floating feed producing 1 kg biomass of fish depending on quality and price of feed. There are a few new economic activities involving cage farming; synthetic net manufacturing, iron slats built-up, bamboo frame constructions, feeding fish by boats, nursing of fries to fingerling by conventional and over-wintering process and periodic net cleanings. Cage farming though is not a very complicated techniques but aquaculturist in the country is not aware about its operations. For rapid expansion of the cage farming in areas other than Chandpur ad Lakshmipur areas demonstration of the process is needed. While talked to PRICE officials regarding assistances to cage farming of tilapia and pangas it was reported that USAID does not allow supporting demo farming with feed, seed and fertilizers i.e., supporting with inputs, therefore, supporting extension of cage farming in new areas with fingerlings and feeds or medicine is not possible. However, if PRICE can support with few cages in some selected spots in the country like Khulna, Sylhet, Patuakhali and Mymensingh areas it may help rapid expansion and popularization of the techniques. Bangladesh being a land scarce country can judiciously utilize her vast open fresh water resources for more fish biomass production, resource management, business expansion, job creation and protection of biodiversity and cope with the challenge of climatic change and water level increase.

8.7. Post Harvest Handling & Live Fish marketing Post harvest handling for farmed fish in the country is one of the main problems as harvested fish must be chilled, iced and stored/packed before transportations. Once fish is harvested these often dies quickly and starts spoiling within couple of hours. Since,

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farming of fish is mostly done in rural areas and most of the rural areas have no electricity connection that makes ice supplies difficult to farm level.

Fig. 62. Live pangas in whole sale market

Fig. 63. Live pangas in retail market

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However, in case of pangas, live fish trading is not a problem and pangs may be sold to whole sale (Fig. 62) or retail markets in live conditions (Fig. 63). If fish could be kept live after harvest and transported in live conditions the post harvest handling though will be little difficult and costly, but prices of live fish will be significant highly compared to iced fish. Pangas and tilapia, if possible to market in live conditions its market will expand quickly. As mentioned earlier, pangas is often transported live to distant markets with little water in plastic drums. The species is frequently seen in retail market still live while waiting for customer. However, no mechanism is adapted to keep them live while selling to consumers in retail markets. It is known that live fish fetch relatively higher prices as it ensured freshness of fish. In Bangladesh only air-breathing species are sold live. There is good prospect to trade these species in live conditions even to retail markets with little water and if possible aeration for tilapia only. Pangas does not need any aeration while kept in plastic containers with water. Thailand has reportedly institutionalized marketing many farmed fish and shrimp species in live conditions and that is a thriving business there. Bangladesh can do that first involving pangas and tilapia and gradually going for other species. Though tilapia cant be marketed in live condition like panags at current marketing methods, but the species could be sold fresh through icing both in wholesale (Fig.64 ) and retail markets (Fig. 65).

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Fig. 64. Iced tilapia in whole sale market

Fig. 65. Iced-chilled tilapia in retail market

8.8. Market Promotion

It is often said that market promotion for fish in the country is not necessary as demand for fish increasing with the expansion of population, there is no market sizes for fish and

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income level of people are increasing leading to availability of little extra money to purchase fish. However, market promotion is needed for sustainability for farmed fish in general and tilapia and pangas in particular. It was learned through the market study that tilapia and pangas prices, especially the price of pangas is sliding during last few years and farmers are somehow maintaining continued farming by vertical production increases. This a good trend that it ensures fish for local market for low value fish to ensure fair price for producers and increase consumption by poor both in rural and urban areas. Pangas and tilapia has already earned bad names due to malpractices by some producers who reportedly uses poultry litters in farming. Poultry litters though directly not used as feed it reportedly enhance plankton (microscopic plant foundation of food chain in water body) and benthos (small creatures living in bottom mud of water body) and thus assist fish growth, but consumers has sensitivity regarding using litters in farming other than field crops. Promotion of urban market for pangas and tilapia will perform two important task, supplying low-cost /cost-effective animal protein and micro-nutrients to urban masses/poor and side by side will increased income to rural poor who farms tilapia and pangas. Market promotion in urban areas for increased supply of tilapia and pangas will directly help more economic activities in rural areas, create employment, selfemployment and opportunistic employment opportunities thus indirectly will stop migration of rural poor to urban areas for looking jobs and ultimately increasing slum dwelling population.

8.9. Awareness among farmers to stop malpractices

While conducting the study, some key informant reported that pangas farmers are partially to blame for sliding prices of pangas due to malpractices while doing farming. Pangas is reportedly a voracious eater and eats excess when supplemental feeds are provided. Taking advantages of eating habits of pangas some farmers reportedly practices feeding the fish as much as possible just before harvest for marketing. Pangas is a fish that can tolerate mishandling and survives considerable period of time after taken out of water. Ultimately, they struggle to die. However, after feeding fish when harvest is done pangas already partially consumed a lot of feed and partial absorption probably started

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but digestion could not complete. This means bloodstream of pangas contains absorbed feed extract and smell, sufficient enough to invite consumer backlash due to bad smell of feed. Consumers always have some reservations on farmed fish compare to natural ones, and when smell arising due to malpractices consumer rejections become stronger. This is the main reason of price slide of pangas and partially for tilapia. Farmers should be aware that internationally depuration of farmed aquatic organisms is done for couple of days where farmed fish and shrimps are starved for 24 to 72 hours so that all ingested artificial feeds are digested and no residual stuffs/effects remains. Our farmers are actually doing the reverse.

8.10. Processing & Export

Fish and chip is a very popular menu as sea foods in Europe and other western countries. Both pangas and tilapia are ideal fish for manufacturing of fish fillet that is used in Fish and chip menu as raw materials. Unfortunately, Bangladesh exporters have not yet penetrate the export market of fish fillet. The processors blame high prices of both pangas and tilapia in domestic markets and waste of fish after filleting has no commercial uses. Bangladesh reportedly provides subsidy for agriculture stuffs including fish and shrimp export. Fish fillet may get extra subsidy initially to popularized frozen fish fillet export to countries where significant amount of fish fillets are consumed. Government subsidy and market drive by exporters may open avenue for fish fillet specially pangas and tilapia fillets abroad. Reportedly, all fish exports from Bangladesh are actually goes to ethnic Bangladeshi/Bengali specking living abroad (ethnic markets). However, fillet fish and subsequent Fish and chip are stuffs for general markets and that is multi-billion dollar industries in some countries of Western Europe as well as in North American countries. If, Bangladesh can enter in main stream market with fillet it will be a breakthrough.

8.11. Organized Farming and Marketing of Pangas and Tilapia

Pangas and tilapia are farmed by farmers both in household ponds as small scale family business as well as commercial farming. In Bangladesh only these two species are mostly

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farmed using supplemental feeds. There are some thrusts areas like Mymensingh, Bogra, Naogaon, Narsingdi, Pabna, Comilla, Chandpur, Bagherhat and Jessore, where both pangas and tilapia farming has flourished and. On the other hand, Coxs Bazar, Chittagong, Rangpur, and greater Noakhali districts gained popularity in mono-sex tilapia farming. Greater Rajshahi except Nawabgonj districts made some progress in Pangas farming. Cage farming of exclusively with mono-sex tilapia gained some popularity in Chadpur and Lakshmipur districts. These organized farming needs organized marketing as well. To stabilize the market for these two important species, specifically focusing urban markets some sort of linkages are needed among the producers to harvest and market the fish in a synchronized way so that market glut may be avoided and fair price could be ensured. This is not to create market monopoly but for the sustainability in supply and marketing for the long run.

8.12. Extension of pangas and tilapia farming, information and knowledge dissemination

So far, pangas and tilapia farming has developed to current stage through initiative by mostly farmers following the carp culture methodologies under popularization thrust by Department of Fisheries, Fisheries Research Institutes development organizations and NGOs initiatives. However, carp culture in Bangladesh has not reached to high density farming like pangas and tilapia. As mentioned earlier, pangas and tilapia are two species profit-making farming of these two is mainly done with commercial dry pellet feeds. Main inputs of pangas and tilapia farming are seeds and supplemental feeds and Bangladesh has developed capacity of producing the both in sufficient amounts and this capacity build-up has made it easier for further extension of farming at ease. Since, urban population is increasing and huge low come group of urban population are creating increased demand for relatively low-cost fish like pangas and tilapia. Therefore, extension of high density farming of these species should be considered as pro-poor approaches and attempt should be taken to disseminate information and knowledge to increase outreach as quickly as possible. Mass education through electronic media using

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audio-visual aid can help expansion of pangas farming like once poultry farming was done in Bangladesh.

8.13. Women Participation in Pangas and Tilapia Farming

Women participation in rural based economic activities is important for the improvements in quality of lives, increased family income, self-employments and family based nutrition. It is said that pangas is an ideal species to farm by a beginner as the species is hardy and survival rate is excellent. Reportedly, it may be farmed in household ponds with supplemental as well as home made feeds.

Fig. 66. Women engaged in tilapia farming in Jessore area (a beneficiary member of a PRICE partner)

Tilapia on the other hand may be farmed with supplemental feeds as well as depending on fertilization and liming and low cost feeds like rice bran and wheat bran. For family level consumption as well selling the excess produces household ponds and seasonal water bodies could be utilized for small scale farming of tilapia and public initiative 139

should focus on maximum participation of women in tilapia and pangas farming. PRICE reportedly has taken initiatives to involve women at household level small sized fish farming for family nutrition and family income.

8.14. Pangas and Tilapia Farming Funding Services: Institutional credit to traditional and low yielding fish farming is almost nil. The images of agriculture loan in Bangladesh are poor as it often misplaced. Commercial farming of tilapia and pangas in fast growing areas arrears to expand based on mainly leased based water bodies that effectively bar institutional credits. The contract farming system has not yet initiated in fish farming overall as neither feed mills nor hatcheries practices buyingback. Wholesalers are basically commission agent and see no incentives in financing farmers. Supply chain financing by newly emerging super-market chain would have been a good options, but these species are not popular among buyers those who do shopping in super-market chains.

Currently, main cost in high density pangas and tilapia farming is cost of feeds as seeds are not that costly. Besides nursing of the species to fingerling stage does not require huge amount of feed. Grow-out farming of couple of months requires bulk of feed. Trust based credit services by feed millers to organized farmers could be very effective supply chain financing as both pangas and tilapia grow-outs could be modeled for couple of months when feed demands is high and farmers could be able to payback the feed cost once harvest is complete.

8.15. Evening Banking for Pangas and Tilapia Farmers in Intensive Farming Areas

While travelling and interviewing to collect information on pangas and tilapia seed production, nursing, farming and marketing with farmers in commercial scale farming

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areas, some farmers raised the issue of consumer banking activities especially in Mymensingh areas. Some farmers aligned with PRICE activities and producing huge biomass of pangas and tilapia faces problems when they sale the fish in bulk. The farmers said that bulk harvest is usually done at afternoon and shipment usually done at evening. While shipment is made usually cash transaction generally occurs. Farmers said that in rural areas keeping significant amount of cash at home when a lot of people knows about cash due to open selling, it is not safe to keep cash at home and they need evening banking to deposit the money after transaction.

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