Minister Gita Chaudhary Engages with Fish Farmers to Address Industry Challenges

Kathmandu. Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development and Minister of Forests and Environment, Gita Chaudhary, has held discussions with fish farmers. The dialogue focused on domestic fish production, market management, and the challenges currently faced by farmers.

During the discussion, farmers presented several demands to Minister Chaudhary. They requested that fish farming be reclassified under the agricultural sector rather than as an industry, advocated for the simplification and tax exemption of fingerling import processes, and called for the establishment of quality hatcheries across the country.

Furthermore, they demanded the determination of a minimum support price for fish based on production costs, with a guaranteed annual increase of at least 10 percent, and insisted that payments for products sold by farmers must be made within 15 days.

The association highlighted that illegal fish imports due to open borders are severely impacting domestic production. They demanded the formation of a permanent mechanism led by the Ministry of Home Affairs, from the central to the local level, to control smuggling. 

Currently, Nepal produces approximately 125,000 metric tons of fish annually. More than 80 percent of this is obtained through aquaculture systems.

According to the Nepal Fisheries Development Association, the number of farmers involved in the fishery business is increasing, and the sector provides direct and indirect employment to over 500,000 people.