NELLORE: A young local aqua farmer, Nishanth Reddy Kavalreddy, is in the spotlight having produced five times more shrimp than others, thanks to innovative methods and better management.
His achievement has drawn the attention of Union minister of state for fisheries, L Murugan, who on Thursday visited his farm at Thotapalligudur mandal for a first-hand study.
The 27-year-old Nishanth has been farming white leg (vannamei) shrimp in his 80 hectares farm in Thotapalligudur mandal for the last six years. Although farming is divided into intensive and extensive sections, the current focus is on intensive production. He said they had started extensive and intensive farming two years ago. It involves growing shrimp using biofloc technology at a higher stocking density of 200 pieces per m2 and an average harvest volume of four kgs kg per m2.
“India’s average production of shrimp is five metric tonnes per hectare. We were able to do 10 to 15 times more with the biofloc method, which is a first in the country.
Biofloc technology is an eco-friendly natural feed formed from the aggregates of bacteria, algae, protozoa held together in a matrix along with particulate organic matter. The shrimp consumes the biofloc thereby reducing the cost of artificial feed and facilitates better productivity.
“The Union government has recognised our efforts, validated the production and Murugan, who visited our farm today, has promised to extend full support to us” the young aqua farmer said.
Nishant claimed that they have a multi-phase production system, which helps in producing four crops per year through a biofloc nursery. The production system involves HDPE lined ponds, ranging from 1000 m2 to 2000 m2.
“We have installed high efficiency aeration systems, our feeding system involves IoT-enabled auto-feeders, while electricity control and aeration management are done through a smartphone app.
We are the first farmers to adopt complete farm monitoring from a control room for outdoor aquaculture. Our company Seafood Joy is trying to urge other farmers to adopt this technology and help promote domestic consumption of shrimp,” he said.
Later addressing a large turnout of fishermen in the Mathsyakara Maha garjana programme, organised by BJP, Murugan appealed to the fishermen to cooperate with each other and make use of various welfare schemes being implemented by the Centre for their benefit.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders demanded the state government to revoke GO No. 217. They alleged that fishermen lost traditional rights of fishing in canals, lakes, tanks, rivers, and sea because of the GO. They said that YSRC men were acting as middlemen and ruling the roost in fishing activity. They demanded the government to provide boats, fishing nets, engines and cold storage facilities to the fishermen.
The minister, accompanied by BJP MLC V. Narayana Reddy, visited fresh fish vending units at Dhanalakshmipuram near Nellore.
Fisheries commissioner K. Kanna Babu, joint collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad, fisheries joint director Nageswar Rao and others were present.
