Aquatic products from NW China's Xinjiang gain in popularity

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, situated in China's northwest, has garnered attention for its thriving aquatic industry. Despite being geographically distant from the sea, the region has made significant advancements in the cultivation, processing, and marketing of aquatic products.

(Photo/Guangming Daily)

In recent years, Aksu prefecture in Xinjiang has effectively harnessed its ecological advantages in the aquatic sector. By integrating its diverse ecological resources, including mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, and grasslands, the prefecture has actively implemented a project aimed at generating wealth for farmers through fisheries.

The aquaculture area in Aksu has reached 52,000 mu (3,467 hectares), resulting in a total aquaculture output of 21,000 tonnes.

At a fish farm located in Wensu county, rows of fish ponds were arranged in an orderly manner. Cold-water fish swam leisurely in the ponds and workers were skillfully catching fish, and then sorting, weighing, and loading them.

Li Xing, a purchaser from Bachu county in Kashgar prefecture, planned to buy tens of kilograms of aquatic products from the fish farm.

(Photo/Guangming Daily)

Gan Haiming, the manager of the fish farm company, said they have already received over 1,000 orders, with a total value exceeding 2 million yuan ($274,000).

The fish farm specializes in breeding high-quality cold-water fish species, including Siberian sturgeon, rainbow trout, and salmon. These fish are sold in both domestic and international markets.

Tuofuhan township in Wensu boasts nearly 10,000 mu (666.67 hectares) of fish ponds. With a yield of approximately 1.5 tonnes per mu of fish pond, the average net income per mu in Tuofuhan township exceeds 3,000 yuan. This thriving aquaculture industry not only satisfies the demand for aquatic products but also serves as a means for practitioners to enhance their incomes and achieve prosperity.

In addition to fish and other aquatic products, South American white shrimp produced in Aksu prefecture is also highly popular.

(Photo/Guangming Daily)

Zhou Jingsen, a shrimp farmer in Aksu, was busy harvesting South American white shrimp on his farm. He mentioned that they have effectively acclimated the tropical shrimp species to freshwater conditions.

Through diligent monitoring of water temperature and quality, Zhou's shrimp farm maintains optimal conditions for the growth of the shrimp. They carefully regulate levels of dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, and nitrite in the ponds, leading to an improved survival rate for the shrimp seedlings.

In 2021, Zhou's shrimp farm achieved a remarkable production of over 200 kilograms of shrimp per mu of pond. This year, he has expanded his operations to two ponds covering a total area of 16 mu, with an anticipated yield of 400 kilograms per mu. The South American white shrimp from Zhou's farm is highly sought after by consumers due to their exceptional quality.

(Photo/Guangming Daily)