April 5, 2016

Indian aquaculture agency develops new (and cheap) shrimp feed

India's Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) has developed a new feed for the country's multibillion-dollar shrimp farming industry, the New Indian Express reported. CIBA is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Called "Vannamei Plus", the Indian-made feed is cheaper than the foreign feeds that shrimp farmers rely on, but produces just as much shrimp per hectare. 

Three medium-scale feed mills have reportedly been built to produce the new feed.

CIBA director Dr. K.K. Vijayan said the new feed should be a boon to shrimp farmers as feed represents 60% of production costs in shrimp farming. He added that in the last five years the cost of shrimp feed has more than doubled. 

Feed companies enjoy large margins and offer high commissions to dealers, the report said.

CIBA is urging the concerned government agencies to allot money for the building of feed mills using the CIBA technology. 

Already, farmer Karuna Raju has invested $226,000 to build a feed mill that will produce Vannamei Plus for his 50-hectare shrimp farm.