Harsh sun causes 60% mortality in shrimp farms

KOCHI: The summer heat is causing a 50%-60% of mortality in shrimp farms across the country. Though farm owners are worried about the crop loss, they feel that the year-end production may not see a major dip."This year, the mortality due to the rising temperature is as high as 50% to 60%," said G Mohanty, proprietor of the Sea Gold Overseas.

Farmers begin the first crop -- with a 120-day maturity cycle -- of the year in February-March and the crop will be ready for harvest by June, he pointed out. But this year, the crop loss in open ponds due to the rising temperature is high, especially in Orissa, Bengal and parts of Andhra Pradesh, he said. The production of farmed shrimp rose by 30% in 2010-11 at 1.45 lakh tonne. Bulk of the shrimp exported out of the country comes from aquaculture farms.

However, Renjit Bhattacharya, national committee member of the Seafood Exporters Association of India, says the year-end production may not see a major dip. "It is true that the farmers go for distress harvest to minimise losses," he said. But another round of crop is usually taken soon after cleaning the pond.