PRESIDENT of the National Aquaculture Association of Guyana (NAAG), Mr. Beni Sankar said yesterday that, as the country’s next big agricultural export gains momentum, fish farmers need to ensure they are using the right technology before they look to expand.
“Aquaculture is not as easy as some people think. You have to get the logistics right,” he said, explaining that some fish farmers have the wrong idea and need to consolidate and get the technology sorted out.
“It is more that just having more ponds to do aquaculture…pushing to have more ponds is not the right approach. This has to be done in a structured way or the operation will either fail or see big losses,” Sankar warned.
In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, he said some technical support is expected through the Government’s Agriculture Diversification Programme (ADP).
Sankar said some level of training on the job is to be facilitated and by someone who has actually engaged in fish farming.
The ADP is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank at cost of US$21.9M with counterpart funding of US$1.1M from the Government of Guyana. The drive is aimed at increasing the export of non-traditional agricultural commodities and it seeks to establish services and institutions for a sustainable rise in the income derived from the export of non-traditional agricultural exports.
However, while ADP support is anticipated, Sankar said other supportive programmes, such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS) project, need to involve stakeholders more.
He said that will go a far way in ensuring that there is an even advancement of aquaculture in Guyana and all fish farmers are included in the process.

More hatcheries

“The ADP addresses much but there is definitely more to be done,” Sankar said, identifying the necessity for more fish hatcheries to enhance aquaculture operations, both locally and on the export market.
He said, presently, there is only one hatchery but Guyana needs about three, one in each of the three counties, Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice.
“Transporting fingerlings can be very difficult and costly but, with the other hatcheries established, we could see better conditions for fish farmers,” Sankar said.
One fish farmer, Mr. Ronald Arjune, of Whim, Corentyne, Berbice, who has one of the larger aquaculture operations in which he has been involved for 14 years, agreed that the business has great potential.
He said one pound of tilapia sells for as much as $300 and $210 when sold in large quantities.
However, Arjune said his major challenge is access to equipment, particularly excavators.
“We need to access services if we are going to see development in aquaculture,” he said, admitting that farmers cannot do it alone.
Arjune said his family started with shrimps and tilapia and now he supplies the local and overseas markets, the latter for which buyers work on a contractual basis.
He said he is unable to supply the between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds required but would be able to with the right infrastructure.
Arjune said he invested some $30M and his returns are good but slow, although they could improve, depending on the route taken.
He concurred that aquaculture can go a long way if fish farmers are supported in their ventures.