http://oheraldo.in/node/10317
Government to renovate ailing Benaulim hatchery BY HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, FEB 25 — The government has disclosed plans to renovate the ailing Benaulim hatchery with latest equipment and also improvise on the technology to meet the requirements of the state. Chief Executive Officer of Brackish Farmers Development Agency, Cedric Gomes told a farmers meet held at Benaulim that plans are afoot to set up a PCR laboratory which would help in testing the seed at the hatchery. The CEO was replying to queries from farmers, who raised the demand for quality seed from the Benaulim hatchery. Presently, the Benaulim hatchery is lying out of order for want of a power transformer. As reported by Herald last month, the hatchery has lost the entire hatching season for want of a power transformer, forcing the 90-odd shrimp farmers to turn to hatcheries across the state borders for their requirements. Meanwhile, the brackish water shrim farm owners have called upon the government to provide for more subsidies to tide over the unfavourable crop situations in the state. Farmers put the demand at the one-day farmers meet organised by the Brackish Water Fish Farmers Development Agency in association with the Directorate of Fisheries and ICAR, Goa. The farmers meet saw lectures and interactions on seed selection testing, immunodiagnostics and good management practices in hatcheries, fresh water prawn culture, biosecure nurseries. -- TUMCHER AXIRVAD ASSUM; DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England
