Under a government scheme, Satyendra received a subsidy of 30 thousand rupees on an aerator machine that maintains oxygen levels in water, which has further boosted his business.
Published: May 5, 2026 6:56 AM IST
New Delhi: Rampur district of Moradabad division has now emerged as a leader across North India in the field of fisheries and seed production along with traditional farming. In the financial year 2025-26, a remarkable increase of 27 percent has been recorded in fish production compared to last year, taking the total production beyond 10,402 metric tons. Along with increased production, this sector has also achieved significant success in employment generation.
According to Assistant Director of Fisheries Prashant Gangwar, in the year 2025-26, fisheries and seed production have directly provided employment to 3846 people. At present, 56 hatcheries are operating in the district, from where about 200 crore fish seeds are being supplied across North India.
The subsidy and use of new technologies under the Chief Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana have given Rampur the identity of ‘Mini Kolkata’ in fish seed production. The demand for Pangasius fish and seeds from here is widespread in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
The ‘Fauji Fish Hatchery’ of Satyendra Kumar, a resident of village Dhanora in tehsil Milak, has emerged as an example in the fisheries sector. Operating since the year 2002, this hatchery produces quality seeds of fish such as Rohu, Nain, Grass, Silver and Catla.
Under a government scheme, Satyendra received a subsidy of 30 thousand rupees on an aerator machine that maintains oxygen levels in water, which has further boosted his business.
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With an annual turnover of 70 to 80 lakh rupees, this hatchery is providing direct employment to 100 to 150 people at the local level. To make the business more profitable, he hopes that a fixed minimum price for fish seeds will be determined in the future.
He believes that if electricity supply is increased from 10 hours to 18-20 hours and solar panel facilities are provided, diesel expenses will be reduced and the profits of fish farmers will increase manifold.
Cooperative societies are also playing an important role in promoting fisheries. Rajendra Prasad, a resident of village Kira in tehsil Shahabad and secretary of the Matsya Jeevi Cooperative Society Limited, is carrying out large-scale fish farming in a 264-hectare community pond and a 7 bigha private pond in his village. Registered in 2021, his society is supplying fresh fish from local markets to nearby states, generating an annual turnover of 10 to 15 lakh rupees.
Rajendra Prasad suggests that if the allotment letter of lease is issued within one week after auction, fish farmers can introduce seeds in the right season and achieve better production.
He also suggested that fisheries should be given the status of agriculture and electricity should be provided at the same rate, along with boring facilities, which would significantly reduce costs and strengthen the financial condition of farmers.
Assistant Director (Fisheries) Prashant Gangwar said that the Chief Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana is proving to be a boon in making fish farmers economically strong. Under this scheme, leaseholders of village ponds are being given a subsidy of 1 lakh 60 thousand rupees per hectare for fish seeds and feed. So far, 419 hectares of ponds have been leased in Rampur district.
He said, the allocation process, conducted under the chairmanship of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, ensures complete transparency, with priority given to Kashyap community, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and General category based on preference. As a result of these transparent policies and schemes, 3846 people got direct livelihood opportunities in 2025-26 by connecting with this sector.
Along with traditional methods, farmers in the district are also adopting modern technologies like ‘Biofloc’ and ‘RAS’ under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. Through RAS technology, water is recycled to achieve higher production in limited space.
At present, four Biofloc units and one RAS unit are successfully operating in Rampur. Additionally, under the Nishadraj Boat Subsidy Scheme, a subsidy of 40 percent is being provided on the purchase of boats. In the future, establishment of cold storage and processing units for value addition will take Rampur’s fisheries industry to new heights.
