AP farmers export shrimp worth Rs 475 cr

Farmers of nine coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh have exported 20,300 tonne of shrimp (scampi plus tiger prawn) worth Rs 475 crore in the first quarter (April-June) of 2006-07.

S Anis, deputy director, Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA), said the harvest included 7,626 tonnes of scampi and 12,674 tonnes of tiger prawn. Shrimp harvest was 10,565 tonnes in June, 6,814 tonnes in May and 2,921 tonnes in April.

He added that escalating cost of production and unremunerative prices have forced number farmers to quit aquaculture (prawn) at least for the time being. Last year (2005-06), while the cost of production was Rs 200 per kg, farmers received an average Rs 220 per kg.

In the first quarter of this year (2006-07) too, the price hovered around Rs 230-240. It had now gone up to Rs 260-270 per kg, which was somewhat better. MPEDA's survey revealed that 15,000 hectares of tanks in Krishna district had remained idle this year.

MPEDA has asked farmers to form societies, each with a minimum 20 members and a maximum of 75, and promised that it would extend financial help of up to Rs 5 lakh to each of them.

Anis said the government would initially give a society Rs 50,000 for setting up common infrastructure facilities such as office, warehouse and auction hall.

MPEDA would also provide 50 per cent help or a maximum of Rs 2 lakh to set up a full-fledged laboratory and meet 50 per cent expenses and up to a maximum of Rs 50,000 for dredging common intake canal.

He said the central agency would also meet hiring charges payable to a lab technician up to a maximum of Rs 1.02 lakh for two years. It also would bear 50 per cent cost up to a maximum of Rs 25,000 to train farmers and technical personnel in shrimp culture and 50 per cent farm expenses up to a maximum of Rs 23,000 for promoting environmentally sound farming methods.

He said with prices of diesel and feed galloping, the overall cost of production was becoming unbearable for ordinary farmers.

"Unless electricity is made available to the shrimp segment, more and more farmer might find shrimp cultivation a totally non-viable occupation."

He said the diesel cost to run a 5-hp motor would be around Rs 55 per hour. The same using electricity would be Rs 14 per hour under industrial tariff and Rs 3.50 per hour under aquaculture tariff. A farmer requires 15 hours of continuous power supply against the present promised supply of 6-7 hours.