Adding value to aquatic animals to increase farmers’ income

News No. 59/2025 26 May,2525

     Mrs. Thanyathitha Boonyamaneekul, Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), MOAC, revealed the results of the Fisheries Promotion Project, hosted by the Department of Fisheries, as one of the important projects under the sub-master plan of the Agricultural Ecosystem. The goal is to focus on adaptation and increase agricultural production efficiency per unit by no less than 15 percent through knowledge transfer and promotion of fisheries careers to farmers in the area. For the fiscal year 2025, the target has been set at 4,110 cases in 77 provinces. 
     In this regard, OAE has monitored the results of the 6-month operation (October 2024 - March 2025) nationwide, with a project implementation success of 57.50 percent. In addition, the field visits were conducted to monitor activities to develop farmers’ potential to become Smart Farmers in the activities to promote and manage fisheries resources in border basins, activities to promote aquaculture and develop economic aquatic animal businesses, and activities to promote proactive agriculture in fisheries (Zoning by Agri Map) in 5 provinces: Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Chiang Mai, and Kamphaeng Phet. It was found that farmers were able to promote and develop their potential to operate according to the target. By transferring knowledge to 460 farmers, reaching the target, divided into promoting knowledge in aquaculture to promote proactive agriculture in fisheries (Zoning by Agri Map) 150 cases, promoting and managing fishery resources in border river basins 200 cases, and developing farmers' potential to become Smart Farmers and Young Smart Farmers 110 cases. Supporting production factors for farmers, including plant-eating fish seedlings from 3-5 centimeters in size, pellet food, water conditioning materials such as lime, microorganisms, and materials for making compost to create natural food in the pond. 
     In addition, the OAE also monitored the results of farmers participating in the project in all 5 provinces in 2024. It was found that overall, farmers were promoted to provide knowledge and support for production factors. 89.02 percent of farmers applied the knowledge they received, including fish farming methods, wastewater treatment using lime, microorganism production, creating natural food sources from natural materials to reduce the cost of pellet food, such as animal feces, red duckweed, grass, rice husks, rice straw, and banana trees. And 83.53 percent of farmers have already used production factors. However, another 16.47 percent have not yet been used because farmers Recently released fish fry, which are not fully grown yet, cannot be caught for consumption or sale. In terms of adjusting the agricultural area under the proactive agricultural promotion activity for fisheries (Zoning by Agri Map) to encourage farmers to raise aquatic animals in areas unsuitable for rice farming, to try changing the activity to raise aquatic animals instead, it was found that 35.85 percent of farmers have changed from growing rice to raising aquatic animals only partially by reducing the rice planting area to create ponds for raising aquatic animals, an average of 1 rai per person. As for farmers, 64.15 percent did not make any additional changes because they already had fish ponds in the rice farming area and raised natural fish. Most farmers, 82.54 percent, raise aquatic animals and catch aquatic animals for household consumption, while 34.92 percent catch them for sale, which provides additional income. Before joining the project, in 2023, farmers sold aquatic animals at an average price of 66.56 baht per kilogram. In 2024, the price increased to 71.50 baht per kilogram (an increase of 4.94 baht per kilogram or 7.42 percent) because the promoted catfish species had a higher selling price than the original fish species that farmers used to raise. As a result, farmers’ aquatic animal value increased by an average of 191.74 baht per year or an increase of 0.86 percent. 
     In addition, farmers who participated in the project still wanted to receive additional knowledge support on aquatic animal farming, creating natural food, preventing and controlling aquatic animal diseases, recommending methods for raising supported fish species such as catfish, as well as supporting healthy parent fish and larger fish fry (approximately 3-5 centimeters) instead of the small size of only 1-2 centimeters because the small size has a low survival rate and is easily eaten by larger fish in the pond, taking a long time to raise, and supporting a wider variety of fish species, especially fish species that are popular in the market such as climbing perch, snakehead fish, tilapia, and snakehead fish. 

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