At a time when farmers faced a crisis during the lockdown, here is a farmer who scripted success in pisciculture at Kaggodlu in Madikeri taluk.
He had taken up fish rearing in a vast lake spread in front of his house and sold the fish to earn additional income. Mandrira Tejas Nanaiah had sold 6,725 kg fish this season and fetched a good income.
He had spent nearly Rs 7 lakh for rearing fish in the last two years. He sold the fish in front of his house. Within a few hours of catching them, the fish sold like a hotcake. Along with pisciculture, he has taken up coffee, cardamon, arecanut cultivation as well.
A law graduate, Mandrira Tejas showed a keen interest in farming since the beginning and had taken up fish cultivation for the last few years. In addition to the lake, there are six farm ponds in his farmland, which have also been used for fish rearing.
He cultivates Rohu, Katla and common carp fish varieties. Initially, he had purchased fish seeds from the fisheries department in Madikeri. Now, he procures it from Bengaluru.
A fish normally weighs one and a half kg within a year. After two years, it weighs three kg. If the fish is caught in the second year, then a farmer will fetch more income, said Tejas.
All the weeds and unwanted organisms are cleared from the lake before initiating fish cultivation. Lime and cowdung slurry are also used in the lake, he said.
"I learnt the art of fish rearing through my experience," he added.
For achieving success in integrated farming, Tejas had even won the taluk-level Yuva Krishika Award.