Andhra production down 7%

Farmers of Andhra Pradesh harvested 99,469.60 tonnes shrimp (tiger prawn) and scampi worth Rs 2,790 crore in 2006-07, down 7 per cent from the previous year's 1.07 lakh tonnes (Rs 2,500 crore).

According to Saifuddin Anis, deputy director, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), the drop in the production was because of farmers leaving shrimp farming due to discouraging export market, antibiotic residue problem and pestering disease problem. Of the total output, brackish water shrimp accounted for 62,601 tonnes (Rs 1,721.53 crore), fresh water shrimp 12,812 tonnes (Rs 352.33 crore) and scampi 24,056 tonnes (Rs 721.68 crore).

Almost the entire harvest was exported.

Farmers received an average price of Rs 270-280 a kg for shrimp and Rs 300 per kg a scampi. Compared to this, the cost of production was over Rs 220 a kg.

While Krishna, Nellore and Prakasam topped the list of districts in brackish water shrimp production, West Godavari, East Godavari and Nellore districts occupied the first three places in the production of fresh water shrimp. Nellore remained the top producer of scampi, followed by West Godavari and East Godavari.

Anis said, "Farmers lost 5,784 tonnes brackish water shrimp, 1,234.70 tonnes fresh water shrimp and 4,619 tonnes scampi during the year due to diseases and cyclone." The total hectarage for brackish water shrimp in the state was 64,285 hectares, fresh water shrimp was 11,765 hectares and scampi was 24,295 hectares.