"I would be doing Fish Farming", when I told this to my wife in July'15, she asked "How much will you earn from it" and I replied "100 Rupees/Kilogram" very innocently. She didn't know the quantity I can farm, and hence replied for 100 Rupees why you want to start something new?
Agriculture is an industry, never seen as an industry. We look at it as a trivial work done by farmers with no/less formal education. On the other hand, these farmers are biggest gamblers you will ever see. Dependent on Monsoon, climatic conditions, post harvesting conditions and so many other things. Probability of their success is so low that none/very few of the educated, risk taking entrepreneurs would dare to try their luck in this field.
I hope you see the "void", essentially calling for new innovations necessary for this field.
I thought why not try fish farming? I have a mine which I am planning to convert into a lake in coming years, fish farming is the most logical business to carry out. But with no prior experience (not even handling aquarium) I thought lets try it at a small scale and gain experience.
So I began construction of an artificial pond with a pond liner (Supreme Company, 200 GSM plastic). The boundaries were made with overburden from mine (Mistake - Should have made the boundaries with clay/mud).
By September'15 The pond (100 feet * 100 feet * 4.5 feet) was ready. We poured 100 Cubic Feet of clay and 100 Cubic Feet of cow dung in it. According to fisheries department, it would help in growth of phytoplanktons as well as zooplanktons, initial feed for the little ones. (Mistake - Pond liner is a plastic, anything that comes inside this pond would stay there, hence these things would pollute water in a long run. This method is fine where land is excavated to form a pond).
In first week of October'15 fish fingerlings of Pangasius and common carp were transferred in pond. (Mistake - Pangasius doesn't grow well in winter season, so transfer fish according to climatic conditions prevailing.)
Progress in 6 months (the last picture is of common carp after 6 months).
Overall my experience was good (Not financially though), the satisfaction was I can do this, obviously you learn from your mistakes and just repeat the process.
Agriculture is an industry, never seen as an industry. We look at it as a trivial work done by farmers with no/less formal education. On the other hand, these farmers are biggest gamblers you will ever see. Dependent on Monsoon, climatic conditions, post harvesting conditions and so many other things. Probability of their success is so low that none/very few of the educated, risk taking entrepreneurs would dare to try their luck in this field.
I hope you see the "void", essentially calling for new innovations necessary for this field.
I thought why not try fish farming? I have a mine which I am planning to convert into a lake in coming years, fish farming is the most logical business to carry out. But with no prior experience (not even handling aquarium) I thought lets try it at a small scale and gain experience.
So I began construction of an artificial pond with a pond liner (Supreme Company, 200 GSM plastic). The boundaries were made with overburden from mine (Mistake - Should have made the boundaries with clay/mud).
By September'15 The pond (100 feet * 100 feet * 4.5 feet) was ready. We poured 100 Cubic Feet of clay and 100 Cubic Feet of cow dung in it. According to fisheries department, it would help in growth of phytoplanktons as well as zooplanktons, initial feed for the little ones. (Mistake - Pond liner is a plastic, anything that comes inside this pond would stay there, hence these things would pollute water in a long run. This method is fine where land is excavated to form a pond).
In first week of October'15 fish fingerlings of Pangasius and common carp were transferred in pond. (Mistake - Pangasius doesn't grow well in winter season, so transfer fish according to climatic conditions prevailing.)
Progress in 6 months (the last picture is of common carp after 6 months).
Overall my experience was good (Not financially though), the satisfaction was I can do this, obviously you learn from your mistakes and just repeat the process.
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