City researchers develop tech for shrimp farming

Chennai: Researchers at ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture have developed next-generation shrimp farming technology that can produce more shrimps in less space, using less feed and energy. The technology will reduce production costs and risks while increasing productivity.
On Tuesday, researchers demonstrated the intensive ‘precision shrimp farming technology' and harvested shrimps for the eighth consecutive time using the new technology at CIBA's Muttukadu experimental station.The technology was transferred to two firms for further validation.
The researchers stated that the new technology involves a high-density polyethylene circular tank-based production system with a central nursery, state-of-the-art energy dispensation modes, and an integrated wastewater management system.
Kuldeep K Lal, director of CIBA, said the new technology can produce 40 tonnes -45 tonnes of shrimp per hectare compared to six to eight tonnes in the existing production system. "Through the new technology, the production cost is brought down to 175 per kg with efficient input and energy management protocols. With this technology, we can produce one million shrimps in just a 30,000-hectare area of shrimp farming," he said.
Shrimp comprises 70% of India's seafood exports, earning 46,000 crore with the production of around 10 lakh metric tonnes. However, shrimp farmers are seeking an innovative production system that can produce more shrimps per unit area with lower energy costs, able to meet market demands, and be climate-smart and resilient. They face challenges with the current technology, such as production risks like disease, increasing production costs, and climate perturbations like extreme diurnal temperature variations, erratic rainfall patterns, floods, and cyclones.
Union fisheries minister George Kurian, who witnessed the harvest, said fisheries production has almost doubled in the last 10 years from 97 lakh tonnes to 175.75 lakh tonnes. "Aquaculture is expected to contribute two-thirds of Indian fisheries production by 2030, and for that, entrepreneurship is important. Crop insurance for aquaculture, especially for shrimp, is important to cover natural calamities and diseases," he said.
The minister also launched the third shrimp crop insurance scheme developed by Digisafe Insurance Ltd with technical support from CIBA.