Fisheries Industry: Largest farming stationin Southeast Asia

In Ayeyawaddy Region,a private striped catfish farming is being implemented with modern technology with over 900 acres at Pantanaw township.

This striped catfish farming business is the largest farming station in Southeast Asia and electric power that the station needs will be generated from rice hulls. Currently, plans are underway to produce up to 100 tonnes of fish per acre.

Deputy Director, San Win, Fisheries Department (Ayeyawaddy), said " It’s the Global Earth Public Co., Ltd. operating this modern striped catfish farming. It can said be as the largest farming station in Southeast Asia because a hatchery, fish farms, feed factory, cold storage and processing factories and staffing housing are included.And also,fish food factories are under construction. To produce value added seafood products from all parts of the fish, we need about 30 megawatts of electricity."

According to the Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries, local breeders prefer Rohuwhich can be planted around 1,400 to 1,500 per acre while the Striped catfishfor around 3,000 to 4,000 per acre. However, there are also disadvantages in striped catfish farming such as having strong odor, oily and having pink fillets which are not preferred by the international market.

Deputy Director, San Win, Fisheries Department (Ayeyawaddy), said " The striped catfish farming ponds are 24 feet deep and normally, we add around 3,000 or 4,000 striped catfishes per acre. Every day, we change the 20percent of water from the ponds. Currently, the catfish does not fetch good price in the market."

The Striped catfishes hatching began in the year of 2000 in Myanmar.This farming has plans to export striped catfishes after completion of the construction of cold storage and aqua feed mill.