Ravi Kharvi, a fish farmer trained by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), bagged the best marine fish farmer award instituted by Union the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
He received the award from Union Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh during the World Fisheries Day celebration in New Delhi on Thursday. A progressive fish farmer from Tallur in Kundapura taluk, Udupi district, Mr. Kharvi was recognised for the successful implementation of Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) practice under the guidance of Mangaluru Regional centre of CMFRI.
A release here said Mr. Kharvi was one of the beneficiaries of IMTA practice during 2023-24 with financial assistance from National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad. The project was led by CMFRI Mangaluru Head and Principal Scientist Sujitha Thomas, Principal Scientists K.M. Rajesh and Dinesh Babu, and research scholar K.S. Dharshan.
The IMTA involves integrated farming of Indian pompano, silver pompano and green mussels, a first of its kind in Karnataka and yielded impressive results. After nurturing them for about six months, Mr. Kharvi harvested them in stages between June and July 2024, aligning with market demand. With average weight of 470 gm and 380 gm, respectively, Silver Pompano and Indian Pompano were sold between ₹450 and ₹480 a kg. About 300 ropes of mussels, each weighing 2-3 kg, were harvested in phases and sold at ₹145-₹150 a kg.
Mr. Kharvi’s interest in fish farming was sparked by the small-scale cage culture demonstration by CMFRI Mangaluru in Panchagangavalli estuary in 2014-15. Subsequently, he transitioned into a full-time cage farmer. His dedication and innovation got him accolades, including the Superstar Farmer award from a Kannada daily, and the Progressive Farmer award from the Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agriculture and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga.
source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)