MPEDA to launch state-of-the-art aquaculture complex at Kochi

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which is headquartered here, is all set to launch its multi-species Aquaculture Complex here with an aim to revolutionize fish production in the country, an official said.

Spread over 8.5 acres, the facility will produce seeds/fingerlings of about seven commercially important species, which have a high export demand, including tiger shrimp, Asian seabass, pompano, cobia, genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) and mud crab.

MPEDA Chairman A. Jayathilak said that the unique feature of the facility will be its tiger shrimp hatchery with a production capacity of 20 million disease-free high health seeds per annum.

"This effort will revive the Black Tiger shrimp farming after a gap of two decades and will certainly bring about huge returns, as demand and price for good quality tiger shrimp is very high in the international markets, especially Japan and European Union," he said, noting that one of the major impediments while undertaking its farming is the lack of healthy, disease free seeds.

Serving as a model, the new facility at Kochi will pave way to establish similar facilities in other parts of the country.

The hatchery is designed in such a manner that depending on demand, the facility can be utilized for the seed production of other freshwater/marine fin fishes or shell fishes.

The entire bio-secured hatchery has all essential facilities such as reservoirs, water filtration unit, microalgae labs, artemia section, maturation section, larval rearing and post- larvae rearing units, and effluent treatment system. A quarantine unit to collect the disease-free wild brood stock will be established soon.

--IANS

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