After being a PWD contractor for years in Kerala and running into a deep financial crisis because of delays in government fund disbursals, a 56-year-old man has now carved out success as a fish farmer earning over Rs one crore every 18 months.
Martin George Palakkaran of Thalayolaparambu in Kottayam is now a successful fish farmer, proving that it’s never too late to start over.
Martin George, once a familiar name in Kerala’s Public Works Department circles, spent his prime years building roads and bridges across the state. But repeated delays in government fund disbursals and mounting dues for completed projects pushed him into a financial crisis.
After years of frustration and uncertainty, he made a bold decision — to quit contracting and turn to fish farming. “I was tired of waiting endlessly to get paid for my work. That’s when I decided to put an end to it all and start something I could control,” Martin told “Open Digest“.
He now cultivates a fish variety called Basa (Pangasius Bocourti) on 15 acres of water-rich land in Thalayolaparambu. “Patience is the most important thing in fish farming. I wait for nearly 18 months for each fish to weigh a minimum of two to three kilograms. The fish seedlings are brought from Bengal and each seedling weighs around one gram. It will take at least 18 to 20 months for the fish to become fully grown,” he said.
Today, Martin produces over 200 tonnes of Basa fish every season, catering to corporates and wholesale markets in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and even North India. His produce is prized for its size, taste, and quality, earning him repeat customers across the country. “When I sell directly to big time customers, I get Rs 75 per kilogram and their minimum order is 15 to 20 tonnes. Switching to fish farming was the best decision I ever made,” he says with pride. “There’s demand year-round, and payment is prompt as I mostly supply directly to big hotels and companies,” he added.
