White shrimp to improve income of farmers hit by salinity

CHANDIGARH: Agricultural land affected by waterlogging and salinity may no longer remain a curse for farmers in the state. White shrimp, a species of prawn that grows in saline water, is set to change the destiny of farmers who own salinity-hit land in the state.

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 21

Agricultural land affected by waterlogging and salinity may no longer remain a curse for farmers in the state. White shrimp, a species of prawn that grows in saline water, is set to change the destiny of farmers who own salinity-hit land in the state.

After successfully promoting its farming on 40 hectares, leading to income of over Rs 22 lakh per hectare to farmers, the Fisheries Department has planned to replicate this on larger areas this time.

“We will provide 50 per cent subsidy on inputs on 80 hectares this year, but any number of farmers can produce white shrimp because even without subsidy, it is highly lucrative,” said an official in the Fisheries Department. Haryana, he said, had 6.2 lakh hectares of land hit by the problems of salinity and waterlogging.

“Out of this, nearly 20,000 hectares of land is suitable for white shrimp which is generally grown in backwaters in the coastal areas because of excessive salinity,” he said.

The shrimp gets ready in 100 to 120 days and has proved highly lucrative for farmers because of its high productivity and good cost. Farmers generally get 7 to 12.6 tonne per hectare and it sells for Rs 350 to 600 per quintal.

In contrast, different varieties of Indian Common Carp have much lower productivity and fetch a rate of Rs 120 per kilogram.

After Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar recently met Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, the Fisheries Department has planned expansion and diversification in its activities from this year.

“Fish production in Haryana was stagnant at about 1.10 lakh tonnes for the past several years. But it was increased to 1.21 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 and is expected to increase further in the coming year,” said Anil Malik, Principal Secretary in the Fisheries Department.

He said till now, only Indian Common Carp that comprises of Rohu, Mirgal and Katla varieties of fish were produced in Haryana, but now the department had diversified by adding some more varieties.

Besides white shrimp, the Fisheries Department has also planned to promote production of ornamental fish for aquariums and Pangasius variety grown in shallow waters.