Shillong, June 28: A Smoke Fish Working Shed (Community) was inaugurated on Wednesday at Umladkhur village under Amlarem C&RD Block in West Jaiñtia Hills district, giving a major boost to fish farmers in Jaiñtia Hills region,
Addressing the gathering, Project Director of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), West Jaintia Hills, D.M. Wahlang said that the Smoke Fish Working Shed at Umladkhur is the first of its kind in the State and perhaps in the entire country.
“The working shed will usher in a positive change by improving the livelihood of fish farmers as well as augment and upgrade the traditional skills which the people already possessed,” he said.
The Smoke Fish Working Shed at Umladkhur was borne out of a convergence project involving MGNREGA and Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority and DRDA, West Jaintia Hills District. It was constructed at a total cost of Rs. 5,40,200.
Umladkhur is well known for a variety of fish products such as fish pickle, fish balls, fish cutlet, fish wafers, etc. apart from smoked fish. The new working shed makes use of COFISKI Machines sponsored by ICAR-CIFT, Kochi which improves the quality of the final product by ‘using’ less smoke as opposed to the traditional method of smoking fish.
The Community Smoke Fish Working Shed at Umladkhur was undertaken and managed by Seng Trea Multipurpose Co-operative Society Ltd.