Pearl Farming at Home
Despite the fact that agricultural work is all farmers' livelihoods, Pearl farming has become increasingly popular. Less labour and a better return are proving to be an attractive bargain. The Mac Agro in Valod at Surat (Gujarat) has long been offering training in Pearl farming, but now many other institutes are offering the courses. Depending on where you live, you can easily search on Google for Pearl farming institutes in your area.
Benefits of Pearl Farming
This career provides many benefits such as employment for youth as well as huge profits. That's why it's becoming more & more popular these days. Let us take a look at how the whole procedure works.
How to do Pearl Farming
Pearls can be produced in a small pond 0.4 hectares by growing oysters in a pond of at least 10 x 10 feet or larger. At least a 10 x 10 ft pond is necessary to produce beads. Pearls can be produced by growing oysters in a pond of a maximum of 25000 oysters. The farmer must gather oysters from ponds, rivers, etc. or purchase them from a store.
It is necessary for the farmer to collect oysters from natural sources - such as ponds, rivers, etc. - or to purchase them. Following this, after every minor operation, simple or patterned beads with a diameter of four to six mm, such as Ganesha, Buddha, floral shapes, etc., are placed inside each oyster. Afterward, the oyster is sealed up. The oysters are kept for 10 days in nylon bags with natural feed and antibiotics. They are inspected each day and any dead ones are removed.
Putting oysters in pond
This is followed by placing these oysters in the ponds. These ponds should be filled with 20 thousand to 30 thousand oysters per hectare, and they can be put in nylon bags (two oysters per bag) or bottles, hung from bamboo or bottles in a depth of one metre. After about 8-10 months, the shell is ripped off and the pearl is removed. As a result, the material coming from inside starts to settle around the bead, which in turn becomes a pearl.
Costs & Profits in Pearl Farming
It costs around 20 to 30 rupees for one oyster. An oyster pearl of 1 mm to 20 mm in the market costs around 300 to 1500 rupees. Today's market has a big demand for designer beads, which fetch a high price. Simply exporting the pearl is a far better way to do business than manufacturing.
Often, oysters are used for decorative purposes in addition to obtaining perfume oil from them. A large scale of oil extraction from oysters is also carried out in Kannauj after the pearl is removed from the oyster. The oyster also purifies the water of rivers and ponds, therefore, water pollution can be effectively handled by oysters. Furthermore, oysters can generally be sold in the local market immediately.
Raising Oysters for Pearl Farming
In controlled conditions, oyster larvae are allowed to float freely around in the water for a few weeks before they are released to the wild where they attach themselves to rocks or other stable objects. Baby oysters will begin to grow within the next few months. Collectors are often hired to collect them, and they are then moved to a nursery area of the farm. There, they are nurtured for about 1-2 years, before they are released back into the ocean. The nucleation process causes an oyster to become irritated after it is implanted with a foreign object. The oyster then counteracts that irritation by secreting nacre all around the foreign object.
Why is pearl farming profitable?
This is a specific farming business where the final product is lightweight and nonperishable because of the high value of the pearly. Although the price in terms of pearls largely depends on size and quality. Furthermore, pearl farming yields a profitable business because the final product is lightweight and nonperishable. Additionally, this is an occupation that makes sense for people who enjoy working on the water. It is also compatible with people with boating, diving, and fishing skills.
As long as you don't graft with artificial feeds, construct complicated farms, or pay constant attention to the farm, pearl farming is a relatively simple form of aquaculture. However, you need to manage the farm properly in order to succeed.
Grafting the Pearl Oysters
If you are planning to graft pearls, you should select oysters that are approximately 4.5 - 6 inches (12 - 15 cm) in size. Older pearls and larger pearls are also possible to graft, but they will not always result in high-quality pearls. In addition, pearl oysters need to be cleaned monthly before they are grafted. This helps keep the pearl oysters healthy.
Managing the Farm
It is a lot like growing any crop. It will require you to take care of the pearl oyster farm regularly if you want it to produce high-quality pearls. Regularly check for damage, missing lines, and floats. Additionally, you will need to cleanse the pearl oysters from fouling or dirt if they are to produce pearls.
Harvesting
Pearls must be harvested when the nacre layer is between 0.12 and 0.08 inches thick (2-4 mm). Never harvest pearls too early as thin nacre may result. Once harvested, pearls must be stored properly in a safe place. Following harvesting, pearls must be washed with a mild soap solution. Finally, you should keep graft records.
Where should you take the training?
Training in pearl farming takes place at the Mac Agro in Valod Near Vyara, Dist - Surat (Gujarat). Here, students, farmers, and rural youth gain technical skills in pearl farming. In addition to providing technical training programs on pearl production, Farmers Help provides training in Hapur to farmers and students.
Dr. Narendra Singh, a Principal Scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Ganiwan, Chitrakoot district, said, "We are also conducting training on pearl cultivation here." He said: "Young people and farmers can benefit from the training. We have already started pearl farming here."