Ornamental fishes get Emirati glitter

Eastern Farms for Ornamental Fish in Al Badiyah, Fujairah, has been set up in a 20,000 square metre plot.

One man's vision to have a 'made in UAE' product has led to the first ornamental fish farm in the country.
Rashed Al Eter, resident of Fujairah, founded Eastern Farms for Ornamental Fish Al Badiyah, about 30 kilometres from Fujairah, to breed, rear and sell different varieties of ornamental fish. Ornamantal fish farming is not new to Al Eter. In 2003 he successfully experimented farming of ornamental fish in the south Indian state of Chennai.
Inspired by the successful venture in India, he decided to bring it to the UAE, and develop varieties of fish to be sold at affordable prices in the local market.
Though Al Elter's dream of 'Made in UAE' fish has finally come true, setting up a fish farm at a plot of approximately 20,000 square metre was not an easy task. A lot of effort had gone into the farm such as testing parameters of water, the different varieties of fish to be bred, maintaining suitable climate conditions, identifying the right feeding techniques, water recycling systems and market strategies. Also, immense attention is being given to developing a "go to market" strategy. Al Elter was, however, not alone in this endeavour.
His experienced staff who were managing the large ornamental fish farms in Chennai have stood behind him to meet the challenges involved in setting up the farm.
Now the farm has close to 100 varieties to sell, and it boasts of the latest facility in the ornamental fish farming industry including cement and glass storage system.
Also, it is able to deliver the best variety of ornamental fish of different sizes within 48 hours anywhere in the UAE.
salah@khaleejtimes.com