Freshwater prawn farming in India - facing new challenges

C. Mohanakumaran Nair, . and K.R. Salin, . (2009) Freshwater prawn farming in India - facing new challenges. [Proceedings Paper]

Commercial farming of freshwater prawns in India is confined to the giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in the state of Andhra Pradesh AP 80 and seven other coastal states but is fast expanding in many inland provinces. Production of this species 42 820 t from 43 432 ha together with that of M.malcolmsonil 3 738 t - in AP Orissa Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra - contributed 46 558 t in 2005. However in 2006-07 the prawn production and farming area fell by abaut 30 to 30 115 t and 30 042 ha respectively. While the prawn exports remained steady at 6 128 t valued US60.15 million compared to 6 320 t US 57.49 million in the previous year the domestic consumption of prawns has been increasing. The official record of the number of hatcheries has been 71 over the few years with a total annual capacity of about 1.8 billion postlarvae PL of M. rosenbergii. A majority of these are coastal multispecies hatcheries seasonally producing the seed of Penaeus monodon and M. rosenbergii but a few inland hatcheries operate using synthetic brackishwater or truck-loaded seawater/brine. The hatcheries source prawn broodstock from ponds; operate on a clear water system and stock 50 - 100 larvae L yielding 15-60 PL L. The price of seed whish peaked up to US 30 during late 2000 presently range from US 4 to 8 per 1000. Seed produced from wild broodstock in Kerala State command a higher proce of US 8 to 10 per 1000. Grow-out pounds 0.4 - 1 ha in monoculture are either stocked with prawn PL-20 30 000 - 50 000 ha or juveniles of 2 - 5 g size 25 000 - 30 000 ha previously grown in nursery ponds 0.1 - 0.4 ha for 45 - 60 days by stocking PL 0.20 - 0.25 million PL ha. Culture of all male juveniles stocked 15 000 ha fetch 60 more profit than conventional monoculture with mixed population of sexes. Besides monoculture polyculture as rotational cropping in extensive paddy fields in Kerala state with the prawn stocked 5 000 - 20 000 ha and carps 1 500 - 3 000 ha is followed. Enhancement of culture-based fisheries by occasional stocking of prawn seed in rivers in Kerala Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have yielded promising results. Organic farming of both paddy and prawn in rotational cropping is the recent interest in paddy fields in Kerala. Larval settling at the tank bottom due to bacterial infection or ammonia toxicity is the greatest threat to late stage larvae and PL in hatcheries. While poor water quality mostly during summer season affects juveniles and adults in ponds. There is expansion of prawn farming in other states like Maharashtra Orissa West Bengal and Kerala. Research is also on to develop better strains by selective breeding in many national research centres. While the prospects for exports mostly depend on international market the domestic consumption of fresh water prawn has no limits.

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Abstract

Commercial farming of freshwater prawns in India is confined to the giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in the state of Andhra Pradesh AP 80 and seven other coastal states but is fast expanding in many inland provinces. Production of this species 42 820 t from 43 432 ha together with that of M.malcolmsonil 3 738 t - in AP Orissa Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra - contributed 46 558 t in 2005. However in 2006-07 the prawn production and farming area fell by abaut 30 to 30 115 t and 30 042 ha respectively. While the prawn exports remained steady at 6 128 t valued US60.15 million compared to 6 320 t US 57.49 million in the previous year the domestic consumption of prawns has been increasing. The official record of the number of hatcheries has been 71 over the few years with a total annual capacity of about 1.8 billion postlarvae PL of M. rosenbergii. A majority of these are coastal multispecies hatcheries seasonally producing the seed of Penaeus monodon and M. rosenbergii but a few inland hatcheries operate using synthetic brackishwater or truck-loaded seawater/brine. The hatcheries source prawn broodstock from ponds; operate on a clear water system and stock 50 - 100 larvae L yielding 15-60 PL L. The price of seed whish peaked up to US 30 during late 2000 presently range from US 4 to 8 per 1000. Seed produced from wild broodstock in Kerala State command a higher proce of US 8 to 10 per 1000. Grow-out pounds 0.4 - 1 ha in monoculture are either stocked with prawn PL-20 30 000 - 50 000 ha or juveniles of 2 - 5 g size 25 000 - 30 000 ha previously grown in nursery ponds 0.1 - 0.4 ha for 45 - 60 days by stocking PL 0.20 - 0.25 million PL ha. Culture of all male juveniles stocked 15 000 ha fetch 60 more profit than conventional monoculture with mixed population of sexes. Besides monoculture polyculture as rotational cropping in extensive paddy fields in Kerala state with the prawn stocked 5 000 - 20 000 ha and carps 1 500 - 3 000 ha is followed. Enhancement of culture-based fisheries by occasional stocking of prawn seed in rivers in Kerala Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have yielded promising results. Organic farming of both paddy and prawn in rotational cropping is the recent interest in paddy fields in Kerala. Larval settling at the tank bottom due to bacterial infection or ammonia toxicity is the greatest threat to late stage larvae and PL in hatcheries. While poor water quality mostly during summer season affects juveniles and adults in ponds. There is expansion of prawn farming in other states like Maharashtra Orissa West Bengal and Kerala. Research is also on to develop better strains by selective breeding in many national research centres. While the prospects for exports mostly depend on international market the domestic consumption of fresh water prawn has no limits.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Available at Perpustakaan Sultan Abdul Samad Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia. SH380.62 M3I61 2008
AGROVOC Term:	Freshwater prawns and shrimps
AGROVOC Term:	Prawns and shrimps
AGROVOC Term:	Agro-industry
AGROVOC Term:	Agroindustry
AGROVOC Term:	Agroindustrial sector
AGROVOC Term:	Commercial farming
AGROVOC Term:	Macrobrachium
AGROVOC Term:	Macrobrachium rosenbergii
AGROVOC Term:	Penaeus monodon
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:14
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/11914

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