Aqua seed porters seen in every nook and corner of coastal belt between Godavari and Guntur districts, became a backbone of the flourishing aquaculture in the State. The seed porters play a pivotal role in bringing the seed, mostly Vannamei species, from the hatchery or seed pond to the pond prepared for cultivation. Packed in the Styrofoam boxes, the seed porters carry the live seed on the two-wheelers and each porter covers a maximum of up to 40 kilometres a day.
“Remuneration of ₹250 is offered to us for the task of carrying the seed up to 10 kilometres between the hatchery and the pond. The maximum number of 10,000 vannamei seed is safe to carry in a single trip,” said Vakkapatla Balaji. The remuneration is excluded from the expenditure on fuel. Hailing from Elurupadu village of Kalla mandal in West Godavari district, at least 15 men including Mr. Balaji are engaged in transportation of the aqua seed as seed porters. Each hatchery and those who maintain seed ponds employ the seed porters, who could be sighted in good number on a regular basis in the areas including Akiveedu in West Godavari district, Kaikaluru, Krithivennu, Machilipatnam, Avanigadda and Nagayalanka.
Part-time job
“Transporting the aqua seed on the two-wheeler is completely a part-time job that is readily available in the coastal belt as aquaculture is thriving,” say the Kaikaluru-based seed porters. One acre of pond is required to have maximum of one lakh vannamei seed and a porter arranges the total seed in 10 trips from the hatchery to the pond. However, the seed porters should obtain on-the-spot clearance from the forest authorities to cross the Kolleru Lake and Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Krishna and Guntur districts border. The details of the seed porter, vehicle and species of the aqua seed are recorded for future reference.
