Production and market efficiency for inland fisheries in North East India: The empirical study of Lohit and Lower Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

Arunachal Pradesh is located in the extreme north eastern corner of India. Given the hilly topography (only around five per cent land is available for cultivation) and continuing dominance of low productivity under shifting cultivation, diversification of agriculture that raises the earnings of those dependent on agriculture remains one of the fundamental challenges. On the other hand, the State has untapped potential for fisheries in terms of many rivers, wetlands, ponds, lakes and an area under rice-fish culture system. Hence, in this background the present paper makes an in-depth study of productivity and marketing structure of fisheries in Arunachal Pradesh. The study was based on both secondary data and primary data which is collected from 300 sampled fish farmers. The study found that there are large variations of productivity of fishes in terms of pond size. However the existing system of fish marketing was by and large inefficient.