Area under brackish water culture increased by 48% in Gujarat: Study

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat is the only coastal state where area under brackish water culture has increased by about 48%, from 1,297 hectares (ha) in 2005-06 to 1,916 ha as of 2009-10, noted a just concluded study by apex industry body Assocham.

Although Gujarat ranks second in terms of area available for brackish water culture but in terms of area under cultivation it lags far behind other states as of the total estimated potential brackish water area of over 3.7 lakh ha available in Gujarat, the state has brought only 0.5, about 1,916 ha of area under brackish water culture, highlighted the study titled ‘Promoting brackish water culture to increase shrimp production in India,’ conducted by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

About 3,600 million ton (MT) shrimp are produced in area under brackish water culture across Gujarat. Area under shrimp cultivation has declined significantly by over 27% in four years across coastal India from about 1.40 lakh ha in 2005-06 to just about one lakh ha in 2009-10, noted the study.

“Drop in farm gate price realized by farmers not being much attractive to take up this activity is one key reason for decline in area under cultivation.”

Besides, out of the total potential area of over 11 lakh hectares (ha) available for brackish water culture across India, a meagre 8.5% of the same, about 1 lakh ha is being used for shrimp farming in the country, added the study.
“Over-exploitation of shrimp from natural sources and ever increasing demand for shrimp and shrimp products globally has resulted in wide demand-supply gap thereby necessitating the need for exploring new avenues for increasing production of prawns and increasing brackish water area under culture,” said Bhagyesh Soneji, chairperson of Assocham Gujarat Council while releasing the findings of the chamber’s study.

“There is an urgent need to promote brackish water aquaculture for shrimp production through focused research on increasing productivity, profitability, area under culture, intensification and diversification of species and systems while addressing environment, food safety and social equity issues,” said Soneji.

Widespread disease incidences, poor economic situation, lack of technical knowhow, absence of transparent pricing mechanism, ecological imbalances and rising feed costs are several concerns raising a question on sustainability of shrimp industry in India.