Imphal: Manipur’s indigenous Meitei Sareng (Wallago attu), once considered locally extinct, is making a comeback through targeted fish farming initiatives under the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme. The revival has also helped reduce the state’s dependence on freshwater shark imports from Myanmar and Bangladesh, reportedly cutting such imports by 60 per cent.
Launched in 2019, the Sareng Project has enabled local farmers to cultivate the prized freshwater fish, with specimens now weighing up to 6 kg. The initiative’s progress is expected to be showcased at the Annual Fish Fair-Cum-Fish Crop Competition on November 11, 2026, held on the eve of the Ningol Chakkouba festival. More than 6,000 kg of Meitei Sareng is expected to be available for sale at the event, with the entire stock supplied by a single farmer.
At the centre of this production drive is Laimujam Dinamani, 42, from Tentha Khunou Maning Leikai in Thoubal district. Operating a seven-hectare fish farm, Dinamani has built an enterprise generating an estimated annual income of Rs 40 lakh.
His farm comprises 16 large ponds and four smaller ones, supported by four workers who receive daily wages of Rs 300 to Rs 400. Apart from Meitei Sareng, the farm produces several traditional and indigenous fish varieties, including Ngaton, Pengba, Ngamu, Ngakra, Ukabi, Ngapai and Tunghanbi, alongside different species of carp.
Dinamani’s involvement in fish farming began under the guidance of his father, Laimujam Ram Singh. He took over the family enterprise in 2002 and later shifted from traditional feeding practices to scientific fish-farming methods during the 2016–17 financial year, a move that significantly improved production.
His efforts to revive Meitei Sareng gained momentum in 2021, when he travelled to Kolkata to procure fingerlings at prices ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 150 per fish.
Meitei Sareng production rises steadily
Dinamani’s production figures over the past five years reflect the growing scale of his operations.
In 2021, he introduced a small quantity of Meitei Sareng at the Ningol Chakkouba fish fair through an aquarium display, marking the beginning of his commercial effort to popularise the species.
By 2022, production had crossed 2,000 kg. The fish was sold at the Fisheries Department’s fixed rate of Rs 1,200 per kg, while Dinamani won first prize at the state fish crop competition after producing a single fish weighing 22 kg.
Production increased to 2,600 kg in 2023. Although the annual fair was cancelled amid the violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3 that year, consumers purchased the available stock directly from his farm ahead of the Imoinu Iratpa festival.
In 2024, his output exceeded 4,000 kg, with sales continuing at the government-fixed rate of Rs 1,200 per kg. He secured third place in the annual competition that year.
The upward trend continued in 2025, when production surpassed 5,000 kg. The fish was sold at Rs 1,100 per kg, and Dinamani again finished third in the competition.
For the November 2026 fair, he aims to sell around 6,000 kg of Meitei Sareng at government-approved rates, further expanding the commercial reach of the indigenous species.
Subsidy promise remains unfulfilled
Despite the progress made by local fish farmers, financial support remains a concern.
Dinamani said the state government had yet to disburse the promised subsidy to local Meitei Sareng cultivators. According to him, former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh announced a 50 per cent subsidy for farmers engaged in cultivating the species on National Fish Farmers’ Day, July 10, 2021.
However, Dinamani said the promised assistance had not reached fish farmers to date, leaving cultivators to bear the costs of expanding production and sustaining their operations.
The experience of farmers such as Dinamani highlights the potential of indigenous fish farming to strengthen local production and reduce dependence on imports. However, the continued absence of the announced subsidy remains a challenge for cultivators seeking to scale up the revival of Meitei Sareng.