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Vannamei white shrimp farm.Photo: Stockfile
Virus outbreak worries shrimp farmers in Kochi
INDIA
Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 07:00 (GMT + 9)
About 4,000 hectares of aquaculture under threat
Shrimp farmers in Ernakulam district have expressed concern about the outbreak of what they called was the White Spot Syndrome Virus in farms across the district and the devastating effect the disease could have on cultivation during the current season.
K.X. Sebastian, general secretary of Kerala Aqua Farmers’ Federation and a shrimp farmer based in Kottuvally, near Paravur, said the disease was spotted in some of the aqua farms about a fortnight ago and it had spread rapidly, threatening about 4,000 hectares of aquaculture in the district. Shrimp aquaculturists have reported substantial loss of crop over the last week, he claimed.
Shrimp farming is associated with pokkali rice cultivation in the coastal districts of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur. There are around 6,000 hectares of pokkali rice fields in these districts. The pokkali rice is a unique variety of salt resistant rice that is grown in the coastal areas during the monsoon season. The rice variety has found a place in the geographical indication registry for its uniqueness.
Shrimp farmers mostly grow black tiger shrimp and production is around 500 kg to 800 kg per hectare while scientific methods can increase the production about four times as it has happened in States like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu, he added.
Mr. Sebastian said the disease in shrimp farms had been spotted in Ezhikkara, Varappuzha, Kottuvally, Kadamakkudy, Mulavukad, Kumbalangi and Pananghad. Sources in the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies said samples had been collected from some of the farms in Thrissur and they were under study.
Source: The Hindu
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Photo Courtesy of FIS Member  FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization - Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (Headquarter)
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