The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) has unveiled its next-generation super-intensive precision shrimp farming technology, which is poised to revolutionise the Indian shrimp farming industry. This innovative model aims to address longstanding challenges within the sector, including disease outbreaks, increasing production costs, stagnant farm gate prices, and the growing impact of climate change.

Shrimp farming currently contributes to 70% of India’s seafood export earnings, valued at Rs 46,000 crore, with an annual production of around 10 lakh metric tonnes. However, the industry is struggling with profitability, prompting the need for new approaches.

The next-generation shrimp farming system developed is designed to produce more shrimp in less space, offering farmers a more efficient and sustainable model. Utilising High-Density Polyethylene circular tanks, the system is equipped with advanced energy-efficient technologies and an integrated wastewater management system. This allows farmers to reduce production costs and energy usage and enables them to harvest 100-120 tonnes per hectare per year in three crop cycles.

K Ambashankar, HoD of Nutrition, Genetics and Biotechnology Division, CIBA told TNIE, “In conventional pond farming, we get an average of 7-10 tonnes per hectare. But, in our system, we can easily harvest 40-45 tonnes per hectare. Another important aspect is we use no antibiotics and there is no need for pond treatment, which drastically cuts the input cost.

The shrimp got an A4 rating which makes it more export-friendly since there is no question of any residues. It is also found that the shrimp texture, taste and colour are of premium quality.” One of the standout features of this system is its ability to allow farmers to plan their crop cycles based on market demands.

Additionally, the model incorporates climate-smart techniques, making it resilient to extreme weather such as erratic rain, floods, and temperature fluctuations, said Kuldeep K Lal, director of CIBA.

This new farming technology was demonstrated with the financial support of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. The goal is to produce two million tonnes of shrimp by 2025, with an export value of `1 lakh crore. George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, witnessed the system’s eighth consecutive harvest at CIBA’s Muttukadu Experimental Station.

He along with JK Jena, DDG (Fisheries Science) at ICAR-Indian Council of Agricultural Research, heads of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and National Fisheries Development Board have endorsed the technology and sought for large-scale adoption by the industry.