Vannamei shrimp culture has come as a boon for aquaculturists in Prakasam district who were hit hard following the outbreak of the White Spot Disease in tiger shrimp farms, leading to abandoning of ponds in large tracts.

The growers are a worried lot now, with the price of Vannamei for 30-count plummeting to around Rs. 400 a kg after touching a high of Rs. 750 in 2013 in the wake of the outbreak of the Early Mortality Syndrome in China.

In this scenario, the Fisheries Department had chalked out an action plan to fully tap the potential of the district by focusing on revival of brackish water aquaculture in abandoned ponds on the one hand and cutting costs through supply of subsidised seed and feed.

Estimating that aquaculture is currently in vogue in around 3,000 hectares, the district administration has fixed an ambitious target of doubling it to 6,000 hectares in the district over a period.

Speaking to The Hindu , Fisheries Assistant Director said the State government had identified aquaculture as a growth engine and had come out with schemes for the revival of abandoned ponds, besides those for providing subsidy for inputs and mechanisation of aqua ponds to ensure sustainable shrimp farming.

Aquacutlurists, according to an estimate, have abandoned aqua-ponds in over 500 hectares in the district.

“We want to see that aquaculture is revived in at least 100 hectares during the year, he said, adding that selected players would be offered a subsidy of Rs. 2 lakh per hectare for specific pathogen-free seed, feed and chemicals.

Subsidy scheme

The department has also come out with a scheme to provide Rs. 5 lakh as subsidy for the Rs. 10-lakh mobile lab to test soil, water and shrimps right at aqua ponds for disease surveillance, Fisheries Development Officer K. Lakshminarayana said. The growers can also avail 50 per cent subsidy on purchase of solar pump-sets, iron rods, fans, paddle and aerators to ensure sustainable shrimp farming.

Farmers going for Tilapia culture in ponds are eligible for 50 per cent subsidy for a two-hectare unit costing Rs. 2 lakh to grow exotic species imported from Africa to augment their income, they add.

Growers are worried lot with the price of Vannamei for 30-count plummeting to around Rs. 400 a kg after touching a high of Rs. 750 in 2013

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by S. Murali / Ongole – August 25th, 2015