Shrimp Farmers In Dire Straits With Diseases Breaking Out At Aqua Ponds
In the interim, feed cost has increased to ₹4,000 per tonne, which is quite abnormal, according to West Godavari Prawn Farmers Welfare Federation secretary Gadiraju Subba Raju. He said feed cost will be ₹1.50 lakh to ₹2.50 lakh per acre. This would lead to farmers getting only ₹220 to ₹230 for 100 count of shrimp, which is quite low
KAKINADA: Shrimp farmers in Godavari districts are in dire straits as diseases like white spot and EHP have broken out at aqua ponds in the region. These diseases have continued despite the ponds having been seeded twice.
According to shrimp farmers, January to May is the best period to get a good harvest. But their two sowings have already caused them huge losses. They maintain that not finding quality seeds could be one of the reasons for their losses.
However, farmers who have already harvested their shrimp crop, it has been very lucrative.
Shrimp trader Satyanarayana said that at present, prices are good; with 100 count of shrimp price being ₹270, 50 count ₹370 and ₹30 count ₹510. But the supply is very low.
In the interim, feed cost has increased to ₹4,000 per tonne, which is quite abnormal, according to West Godavari Prawn Farmers Welfare Federation secretary Gadiraju Subba Raju. He said feed cost will be ₹1.50 lakh to ₹2.50 lakh per acre. This would lead to farmers getting only ₹220 to ₹230 for 100 count of shrimp, which is quite low.
To avoid the issue of diseases, Subba Raju wanted the central and state governments to set up an Aquatic Quarantine Facility (AQF) in Visakhapatnam for the benefit of shrimp farmers in AP.
Currently, the AQF in Chennai, operated by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture under the Marine Products Export Development Authority, is the primary government-run quarantine centre for imported shrimp broodstock in India. It ensures that all imported Vannamei is disease-free by ensuring 5-day biosecurity protocols. Such a centre in Visakhapatnam will be helpful for AP, Subba Raju underlined.
He went on to point out that the previous YSRC government has given power subsidies to shrimp farmers with holdings below 10 acres. But before the 2024 elections, the alliance parties, including Telugu Desam and Jana Sena, promised they would lift the limit of the acreage in providing subsidised power.
But though 20 months have passed since the NDA coalition has come to power, this promise has not yet been fulfilled, Subba Raju added.