Officials of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) have appealed to aqua farmers not to stock shrimp seed during winter. Also, cultivation should be done without using antibiotics and chemicals.
“If seed is stocked from December to February, viral diseases such as WSSE, IHHNV and other viruses may affect due to fall in temperature levels and kill the seed,” said MPEDA Deputy Director S. Kandan.
As per the directions of MPEDA Chairman A. Jayathilak, five teams have been deputed to visit ponds, meet farmers and advise them on Best Management Practices and on the adverse affects on use of banned antibiotics.
The teams—led by Joint Director Sampath Kumar, Assistant Directors, A. Lahiri and Dr Srinivasulu, Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) retired professor S.V. Sharma, National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) Region Coordinators T. Nanda Kishore and Venkata Ramana, and Fisheries Development Officers (FDOs) Hentry and Usha Kiran—are conducting awareness meetings for farmers, said NaCSA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K. Shanmuka Rao.
Bio-security must
The NaCSA, MPEDA and Fisheries Department officials had visited some ponds in Karlapalem, Mukteswara Puram, Nizampatnam areas in Guntur district, Nagayalanka, Koduru and Challapalli mandals in Krishna district and Gundayapalem village in Prakasham district so far, the CEO told The Hindu on Friday.
Farmers were told about procuring virus-free seed from certified hatcheries, supplying quality seed, maintaining hygienic ponds, and bio-security methods to prevent spread of diseases to increase the productivity.
“We request the farmers not to purchase shrimp seed (post larvae) during winter season which may kill the seed, and only keep the ponds ready for farming now. Indian farmers are maintaining best standards in shrimp culture, and we advise them to raise culture without chemicals which will fetch them good price in the international market.
Farmers are requested to take suggestions from MPEDA and Fisheries Department officials and follow scientific methods to get good yield.
As farmers are preparing to start culture from the early summer, we will press more staff into the field, if necessary,” Dr. Kandan said.
