Food MArketing & Technology In India CC for web-HIgh Res | Page 34

Aqua
Mangaluru. He shared that the ornamental
fi sh industry employs around 50,000 people
through 5,000 aquarium retail outlets and
an equal number of production units. each season for
optimum utilisation
of an ornamental
fi sh culture facility.
All these statistics put together amount to
a domestic aquarium trade of around `300
crore. Th is is at a time when 1.25 percent
of the 7.88 crore urban households in the
country have an aquarium at home or at the
workplace. (Courtesy: Th e Hindu Business
Line, Published on May 15, 2017). Th e
Marine
Products Exports
Development
A u t h o r i t y
(MPEDA),
India
has launched a
subsidy scheme for
setting up breeding
units of colourful aquarium fi shes in various
states. Th rough this new Ornamental Fish
Assistance Scheme, MPEDA, an agency of
the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry
provides subsidy for the ornamental fi shery
to registered Self Help Groups (SHGs) and
Marketing Societies. Th is measure has been
adopted with the aim of facilitating the
export of ornamental fi shes.
Demand and Supply
Th ere is a cyclic relation of demand and
supply in the domestic aquarium trade.
Th e supply in the form of retail outlets
and production units triggers the demand
from hobbyists. Th is, in turn, stimulates the
supply.
Th e number of ornamental fi sh hobbyists is
increasing in the country because of reasons
such as an increase in per capita income
and change in the spending behaviour of
consumers who tend to focus more on
hobby related purchases. Th e increase in the
number of aquarium retail outlets has paved
the way for cheap and easy availability of
ornamental fi shes and aquarium accessories
in the country.
Th e traditional practices of production still
remain the major supplier of ornamental
fi sh to the domestic trade with the exception
of Mumbai. Th e number of outlets selling
ornamental fi sh in Bengaluru has increased
from nearly 700 to more than 1,200 in the
last decade with a monthly turnover of
around `1.5 crore.
Opportunities
Th e increase in the number of aquarium
outlets and the entry of foreign brands in
the Indian market clearly shows that the
aquarium business in India is booming.
An innovative entrepreneur can earn
much higher profi ts by implementing
such activities as campaigning breeding
operations with major species suitable for
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Financial assistance is provided at the rate
of 25 percent of the total investment, subject
to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh, to explore the
huge potential of ornamental fi shery as a
livelihood option and foreign exchange
earner. Earlier, MPEDA was providing
subsidy under a three-tier gradation
scheme. Th e maximum fi nancial assistance
for a breeding unit was Rs 75,000, Rs 2 lakh
and Rs 7.5 lakh under Grade I, Grade II and
Grade III respectively.
A. Jayathilak, Chairman of MPEDA, shared
in his address at the Aqua Acuaria India
2017, "Th rough its subsidy schemes, the
authority has established ornamental fi sh
breeding units in states like Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh,
Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh."
(Source: India Today, May 15, 2017)
Th reats
Many fi shes that are not suitable to be kept
in an aquarium are being introduced into
the hobby. As these fi sh reach a maximum
size limit, hobbyists let them back into
Creature Companion | August 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 8 • Noida
the native waters and this is a major
reason for the marine and fresh water
ecosystem getting spoiled. Even though the
government has taken drastic measures to
stop such fi sh from entering into fresh water
bodies and the ocean, such fi shes continue
to pose a threat to the native fl ora and fauna
of the aquatic ecosystem.
Conclusion
Th e demand for both freshwater and
marine ornamental fi shes is increasing at
an unprecedented rate. Most of the traded
marine ornamental fi shes are being collected
from their natural habitat. Th is necessitates
the development of marine ornamental
hatchery technology and production of
young ones to fulfi ll the increased demand
in the export market.
* Sundar Rajan is the proprietor of
Filial Aquatics based at Madurai
in Tamil Nadu. He has pursued
the hobby of ornamental fi shery
for more than 18 years and has
been a professional aqua scaper
and blog writer for the past 8
years.
Credits: India Today, Th e Hindu
Business Line,
Mr.VARUNA BAGLODI Technical
consultant, OFD, SRO, Mangalore
Note - Th e article is fully based on
the secondary data and articles
published by various writers and
credit has been given to the person
or source.