The expo contains 40 stalls showcasing different species of fish and various fish foods from districts across the country. Fish and feed producers occupy 20 stalls while different fish dishes are on sale at the other 20 stalls.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, traders and producers said that fishery had immense potential in Nepal and that commercial fishery should be encouraged by the government by creating a suitable policy environment.

“There are 217 species of fish available in the market, and we can strengthen our economy by upgrading traditional fishery to a commercial enterprise,” said Ramanand Mishra, national programme coordinator at the Directorate of Fisheries Development under the Ministry of Agricultural Development.

He added that the expo would be a great platform for people wanting to find out about the fishery industry. He also said that fish farming had been playing a very important role to enhance the income level, so the government should launch various programmes to promote it.

Nepal produced 64,900 tonnes of fish in the last fiscal year 2013-14, up from 57,500 tonnes in fiscal 2012-13, according to Mishra. However, annual demand comes to around 80,000 tonnes, Fan said. Some of the popular fish varieties being sold in the country are rohu, bachwa, caini, common carp, silver grass and magur.

“The fishery industry has been gaining momentum in recent years, and productivity is also growing,” said Tulsi Ram Giri, president of Fan. “But the government has not been very supportive and getting credit from financial institutions is still difficult as the initial cost is high,” According to him, a few species of fish are being exported to the Indian

market, and the returns have

been good.  

Fish producers from Chitwan, Makwanpur, Janakpur and Nuwakot, among others, are participating in the expo. Some traders have been selling fish at discounted prices. Daman Bahadur Lama, a fish producer and trader from Nuwakot, charges Rs 1,000 per kg for rainbow trout against the usual market price of Rs 1,200. Similarly, live fish are being sold at Rs 400-420 per kg against the usual market price of Rs 450.