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Shrimp Culture
Area and Production
India is endowed with a long coastline and hence offers scope for large exploitation
of marine wealth. Till a few years back, fishermen in India were involving themselves
in traditional marine fishing. In the seventies fishermen started concentrating
on catching prawns more commonly known as `shrimps' due to high profitable return
on the same on account of their export value. Brackish water prawn farming started
in a big way during 91-94 especially in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh
and Tamil Nadu.
The estimated brackish water area suitable for undertaking shrimp cultivation in
India is around 11.91 lakhs ha spread over 10 states and union territories viz;
West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, Karnataka,
Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Of this only around 1.2 lakhs ha are under shrimp
farming now and hence lot of scope exists for entrepreneurs to venture into this
field of activity. The following table gives the state-wise potential and present
level of development.
Statewise shrimp farming area and production
in India
|
Sr.
|
State
|
Estimated brackish water area (ha.)
|
Area under cultivation (ha.)
|
|
1
|
West Bengal
|
405,000
|
34,660
|
|
2
|
Orissa
|
31,600
|
11,000
|
|
3
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
150,000
|
50,000
|
|
4
|
Tamil Nadu
|
56,000
|
2,879
|
|
5
|
Pondicherry
|
800
|
37
|
|
6
|
Kerala
|
65,000
|
14,657
|
|
7
|
Karnataka
|
8,000
|
3,500
|
|
8
|
Goa
|
18,500
|
650
|
|
9
|
Maharashtra
|
80,000
|
716
|
|
10
|
Gujarat
|
376,000
|
884
|
|
Total
|
1,190,000
|
118,983
|
(Source: MPEDA, 2005)
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