Farmers breed fish in paddies
By Ran Tao and Hu Xiaocen |
November 27, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GELONG Village in Jiading District's Waigang Town is experimenting with fish farming in rice paddies.
Xu Jinhua, head of aquafarm in Waigang, says 2.7 hectares of rice fields are being used to farm fish in the trial operation.
"The farmers here are all experienced," said Xu, adding the area has good water resources and a long history of rice planting and fish farming.
In June, 30,000 small fish measuring about 3 centimeters in length were put into the paddy fields, including grass carp, herring, crucian and carp.
Initially farmers were worried the fish would eat up the rice. These worries have finally been dismissed after a good harvest of organic rice and nearly 2,000 kilograms of fish stock.
According to Jin Zheng, head of Waigang Town's Agriculture Committee, rice field fishery is both ecological and profitable.
Tripled output
The output value of one hectare's common rice used to be around 22,500 yuan (US$3,571). As organic rice, the price can be more than doubled. Adding the harvest of the fish, the output value of one hectare has surpassed 75,000 yuan, more than triple as before.
The fish swim into the fields and eat the insects, while the fish excrement is a natural fertilizer for the paddy rice.
"We no longer use chemical fertilizers now," Xu says.
"The use of pesticide has been reduced by 85 percent, which largely improved the quality of rice," he adds.
"With a very nice aroma, this organic rice is very popular in the market," he adds.
Waigang Town plans to expand paddy fishery and raise more species of fish. In the next stage there will be a combined farming of fish, crab, shrimp, frog and duck.
Xu says they will try to breed tropical tilapia and South American white shrimp.
If the fish and shrimp can be harvested within 120 days, they will reach the market before the rice.
Xu Jinhua, head of aquafarm in Waigang, says 2.7 hectares of rice fields are being used to farm fish in the trial operation.
"The farmers here are all experienced," said Xu, adding the area has good water resources and a long history of rice planting and fish farming.
In June, 30,000 small fish measuring about 3 centimeters in length were put into the paddy fields, including grass carp, herring, crucian and carp.
Initially farmers were worried the fish would eat up the rice. These worries have finally been dismissed after a good harvest of organic rice and nearly 2,000 kilograms of fish stock.
According to Jin Zheng, head of Waigang Town's Agriculture Committee, rice field fishery is both ecological and profitable.
Tripled output
The output value of one hectare's common rice used to be around 22,500 yuan (US$3,571). As organic rice, the price can be more than doubled. Adding the harvest of the fish, the output value of one hectare has surpassed 75,000 yuan, more than triple as before.
The fish swim into the fields and eat the insects, while the fish excrement is a natural fertilizer for the paddy rice.
"We no longer use chemical fertilizers now," Xu says.
"The use of pesticide has been reduced by 85 percent, which largely improved the quality of rice," he adds.
"With a very nice aroma, this organic rice is very popular in the market," he adds.
Waigang Town plans to expand paddy fishery and raise more species of fish. In the next stage there will be a combined farming of fish, crab, shrimp, frog and duck.
Xu says they will try to breed tropical tilapia and South American white shrimp.
If the fish and shrimp can be harvested within 120 days, they will reach the market before the rice.
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