PEARLSPOT FARM KADALUNDI

     FISH FARM KADALUNDI

                       

              Six years ago , when all the prawns in his farm died due to viral infection , Baburaj of Cheriyathiruthy at Kadalundi saw the world around him crumble . He had taken loans from public and private sector banks to follow his passion , but with the failed attempt , his four member family was in dire straits . But now , a beaming Baburaj explain how his world turned around better , courtesy the Karimeen ( Green chromide or Pearlspot ) .

                                 

       Baburaj has been staying at cheriyathiruthy , a small island almost at the mouth of the kadalundi river , for as long as he could remember . The island that houses 14 families has a huge pond at its centre , where Baburaj has been hatching karimeen or pearlspot fingerling for the last four years . it is the only karimeen seed farm in the District . karimeen , a most favoured delicacy among tourists as well as local people , has helped Baburaj pay back all his loans and make a neat profit .

                 

    " Karimeen is easy to rear ,not like chemmeen ( prawns)that needs constant attention and care , Baburaj says the island provides the best possible condition for karimeen farming with constant flow of water from the river . to the pond . , saving him the effort of artificially managing the oxygen -level in the pond .

                                                               

The adult fish are fed rice and pellets / cattle feed . The pond is divided into two segments with sand made bunds and pipelines beneath to facilitate flow  of water between the segments . Thus the water level in the pond  is maintaining at one metre or above depending on the level in the river .

      

          HATCHING SEASON

       Karimeen across around RS 400 a kg in the market . But Baburaj rears them not for sale , only to hatch the fingerlings that he would sale . He get bulk orders from nurseries across the state as the hatching usually takes place during June - July or November - December .

       The fingerlings are collected using a rare technique  of inserting a grass - like cage into the pond . The fishes have a tendency to take shelter in them , as the pond is free of any vegetarian . When the cage is lifted the fingerlings will be caught inside . They will them be transferred to a tank ....

 

 

                                                                                                       Thank you....................