Women farmers in Moothakunnam near here have reaped a bumper harvest of oysters and mussels.
Around 40 women belonging to various self-help groups had taken up the farming as an additional livelihood option in November last year under the guidance of the Molluscan Fisheries Division of the CMFRI, said a release. Each farming unit had a structure made of bamboo about 5 metres in length and width.
Oyster was farmed in 13 units and the average yield was 1.5 tonnes and around 1.3 tonnes of mussels from each unit.
After the harvest, the produce was subject to depuration, a scientific process of expelling contaminants from the gills and guts of oysters by providing them with purified seawater before they are used for consumption, which was also developed by the CMFRI.
As there is no need for feeding them, bivalve farming is less expensive compared with fish farming, the major expense involved being the initial capital to set up the farming units.
