A dedicated live-fish outlet, Osail Mart, was inaugurated near the Police Baptist Church along NH-02 at Chuchuyimpang on September 16, with Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president Tsukti Longkumer as the inaugural guest. The outlet was dedicated by Rev S Toshi, pastor of Mongya Prayer Garden.
Proprietor Opangrenba said the mart has been established to deal specifically in live fish and to create a market linkage for fish farmers in Mokokchung district. He said the venture is also intended to provide customers with access to different varieties of live-catch fish.
Apart from sales at the outlet, Osail Mart plans to provide home delivery within Mokokchung Town. Customers will be able to place orders through the mart’s Facebook and Instagram pages, choose their preferred fish varieties and have the orders delivered through its courier team.
Opangrenba said the idea developed from his observation that Mokokchung did not have a dedicated business dealing in live fish. His experience of maintaining one or two fishery ponds at his farm also encouraged him to explore the possibility of developing the business.
He said he visited other states and consulted fish hawkers before starting the venture. While he initially had concerns about the viability of selling live fish in a hill station, he said his research indicated a demand for the product and that growing awareness about healthy living further encouraged him to proceed.
A key objective of the venture, he said, is to provide a market for small-scale fish farmers in the district. Osail Mart plans to procure fish directly from farmers in areas including Tuli, Tzürangkong and the Mokokchung circle. The proprietor said the mart intends to approach farmers, negotiate prices and purchase fish in bulk depending on availability.
The initial stock has been sourced from Opangrenba’s own fishery who has experienced of farming fisheries 8 to 9 years, while future supplies are expected to come from local producers. If local supply is insufficient, the mart may also source fish from outside Nagaland, including Assam. The facility currently has a storage capacity of around 20 tonnes, he said.
On maintaining hygiene at the facility, Opangrenba said water would be an important component of the wet market and informed that the outlet has running water supplied from a nearby stream.
He said the venture is intended to serve both consumers and fish producers, particularly small farmers who may face difficulties in transporting their produce to suitable markets.
Speaking at the inauguration, MCCI president Tsukti Longkumer said Mokokchung has been expanding gradually as a commercial centre and its market now serves consumers beyond the district.
He said the town caters to areas of several neighbouring districts, including Tuensang, Longleng, Mon, Shamator, Kiphire and Noklak, besides parts of Wokha and Zunheboto. He cited areas near Doyang in Wokha and Lumami and Akuluto in Zunheboto among places that source goods from Mokokchung.
Longkumer said Mokokchung has a wide range of goods available in its market and that the town does not depend on Dimapur for many basic requirements. He cited items such as nails and chainsaws being purchased from Mokokchung and sent to other places, including Dimapur.
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He, however, observed that the town’s commercial growth has been gradual and said the existing market was becoming increasingly saturated. He called for expansion of commercial activities and encouraged people in Chuchuyimpang to welcome new businesses in the area.
Longkumer also referred to the importance of fish and meat in the local wet market. Recalling a previous disruption in fish supply following the detection of formalin in fish, he said fish had been kept out of the Mokokchung market for four to five months at the time.
He welcomed the establishment of Osail Mart, saying he was pleased to see a dedicated facility for live fish being introduced in Mokokchung and urged the public, citizens to support him in this venture.
Longkumer also spoke about the changing commercial relationship between Mokokchung and Dimapur. He attributed challenges in Dimapur’s business environment to multiple taxation by different political groups and said, according to his observation, businesses were increasingly looking towards Mokokchung.
He said the flow of goods and money through Mokokchung reflects the town’s growing commercial reach and stressed the need for the town to be prepared to take on a larger role in the regional market.
