August 28, 2007

India can increase area for shrimp by 100,000 hectares

India can boost its aquaculture production by adding one lakh hectare to produce about one lakh tonnes of shrimp in the next five years, minister of state for agriculture, Taslimuddin said in the Rajya Sabha, India's Parliament.

The ministry would not fix a targeted value this would bring due to currency fluctuations and the uncertainty in shrimp prices over the next five years.

Measures taken by the government to boost shrimp production in the country include the setting up of hundreds of fish farmers development agencies to provide technical, financial and extension support to farmers, financial assistance in the form of subsidies and an expansion of land leases designated for aquaculture.

Guidelines such as the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 would also regulate coastal aquaculture activities to ensure sustainable development of shrimp aquaculture.