The Odisha government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, the research and development arm of the Marine Products Export Development Authority in the ministry of commerce and industry, to set up a hatchery for the mass production of Bhetki fish seeds.

Bhetki is a much sought-after fish in the state after Hilsa and Rohu. While Hilsa is not affordable for the common man because of its high price, Rohu is cheaper. For Hilsa, Odisha still depends on the Bengal market.

Bhetki (Lates Calcarifer or sea bass) fish are found in coastal water, estuaries and lagoons.

“The fish is tasty. But its price per kg hovers around Rs 500 to Rs 600. We need to produce more Bhetki fish by involving farmers. The seeds produced in the hatchery in Gopalpur in Ganjam district will later be given to farmers for mass production of Bhetki. The MoU was signed in presence of the chief minister on Tuesday,” said a senior official of the fishery and animal resources development.

Under the MoU, the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture will transfer technical know-how, plans, designs and other information for the successful management of the hatchery.

The centre will also scale up the technologies developed in the research institutes by joining hands with the Odisha government’s scientists and disseminating the required knowledge for the production of the seeds. Later the seeds will be developed as fry and fingerlings.

“There is a demand for Bhetki in Odisha. The farmers will immensely benefit from the hatchery,” said chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Minister, fishery and animal resources development Ranedra Pratap Swain said: “We are taking a number of steps like involving women self-help groups (SHGs) to promote pisciculture in the state.”

Officials maintained that the state government spends around Rs 100 crore per annum towards subsidy for farmers to take up new fish tanks for expansion of intensive inland and brackish water aquaculture.

“Through a liberal policy, the long-term lease of panchayat tanks are provided to women SHGs, and currently around 8,300 women SHGs are taking up inland aquaculture, under the flagship ‘Mission Shakthi’ programme of the state government. The policy for leasing water area in reservoirs for undertaking Cage Culture fisheries has also been a tremendous success,” the officials said.

The state also signed an MoU with the BAIF Development Research Foundation for the recruitment of 1,500 artificial insemination technicians.

Odisha on Tuesday launched Fisheries and Animal Resource Mapping. Under this, all fishing and farming units in the state will be geotagged and mapped.