First time in India, our SCF reintroduced handmade fish net by hiring 100 fisher women and providing direct employment. More than Rs.25,00,000/- given as coolie for handmade fish net making fisher women in last year. It is a great support to the household income for the women.Because of its durability of net fishermen buy handmade net though the selling price is 30 percent higher than machine made fishing net. (Machine made Rs.415 per Kg. and handmade net price is Rs.620 per Kg.)
There is great demand for handmade fish nets. Though the cost of production 40 percent higher than machine made net some of the fishermen prefer handmade fishing net because of its durability and high yield of fish catch.
FPO identified the issue and selected about 100 women fisher folk and trained them to make such handmade nets. It provides employment and help to improve their earnings. FPO also takes care of marketing of such finished products. It is further supported by Fishnet stall established with the support of NABKISAN and Mezzanine (NABARD). FPO is very much recognized in the project area. It is evident from its growth of membership.
So far our FPO was directly linking the production centre’s of various fishing implements with member customer by eliminating middlemen in supply chain in the market. Hundreds of such fishing nets and gears are purchased by FPO and supply to members at low price .
Lead is one of such fishing implement which is used in fishing nets as weight. FPO has started such Lead production unit in collaboration with Mukkadal Marine at Chennai. It has taken momentum in production and sale which is new initiative in marine sector.
Our FPO is the only one model in India which undertakes such novel project to make the FPO more independent and sustainable in future. The success will lead to float production and parachute production in near future.