Guwahati: The Northeastern region is set to witness the launch of Plankton Plus Technology, a breakthrough organic fertilizer initiative under the Department of Zoology, Gauhati University (GU) soon. The Plankton Plus Technology is an alternative to urea for fertilizing pond water. The organic fertilizer initiative for production of PlanktonPlus from fish waste is being carried out in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai.
During an exclusive interview with Kajol Singha for Business North East (BNE), Dandadhar Sarma, Head of the Department of Zoology at Gauhati University, said, “This is the first time Plankton Plus Technology, an organic fertilizer, will be used in the Northeastern region. It can potentially boost pond productivity in fish culture by ten times. However, it has already been implemented by ICAR-CIBA in Kolkata and Chennai."
Under the project in Northeast, fish waste will be sourced from fish markets and processed into liquid organic fertilizer. The liquid fertilizer will be preserved for one week before being applied to fish culture, according to Dandadhar Sarma.
Moreover, reports suggest that the construction work for the project is nearly complete, with operations set to begin once the remaining machinery arrives. The feed mill associated with the project will have a production capacity of 1,000 kilograms per hour. Dandadhar Sarma shared that Plankton Plus Technology is expected to launch by mid-December. This also contributes to the Swachh Bharat Mission.
When asked about the investment required for this technology, Dandadhar Sarma stated, “The process requires a small investment of approximately Rs 1 lakh for the weight grinder machine. The initiative is part of the Livelihood Business Incubator Scheme, funded by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) through the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship."
Discussing the current state of fish production in the region, Dandadhar Sarma pointed out that while the Northeast is rich in ponds and wetlands, its fish production is relatively low. States like Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh produce more than 20 tons per hectare, whereas the Northeastern region produces only 5 to 6 tons per hectare.
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“The main food source for fish is plankton. If we can increase plankton levels, fish production will also rise, significantly boosting productivity,” he further told BNE and emphasized the primary objective is to provide farmers training in Plankton Plus Technology to enhance fish production and promote entrepreneurship.
This fish waste processing technology for recycling fish waste can be an alternative livelihood activity for the fishers in the region.
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