There has been a breakthrough in shrimp production in the greater Khulna region where farmers now produce 500 to 600 kg of the fish per hectare by using the 'improved extensive method' against an output of 300 to 350 kg per hectare under traditional farming.
"This is almost double the normal output after using some protective measures for small fish fry, creating improved infrastructure and right environment for their growth," said Director of Extension Services in the Department of Fisheries M I Golder.
He told the FE that shrimp fry are highly vulnerable to diseases and even with the best protective measures only 25 to 30 per cent of fry can survive. He said the focus is now on ensuring the maximum survival of the fry and letting them grow in a tolerable environment to achieve the higher productivity level.
He said the 'semi-intensive method' of farming is also gaining ground in some areas where the output per hectare now varies between 5 and 6 tonnes on an average. This is a leap forward but far below per hectare output in major shrimp producing countries like Thailand and China. Production in those countries varies from 8 to 12 tonnes per hectare, the official said.
M I Golder said three safeguards were used to achieve the higher productivity in the Khulna region. Farmers were induced to raise water depth in the 'ghers' or ponds to up to one metre so that small shrimp fry (post larvae) can survive the open air heat.
Release of disease-free shrimp fry was also ensured by using the PCR testing machine to make sure other shrimp fry remained healthy.
Moreover farmers were trained to create earthen nursery or 'hapa' at one corner of the 'gher' to preserve small fry for 15 to 20 days to let them grow stronger before they were released to swim.
Embankments around the 'ghers' or ponds were also raised to protect them from water and water-borne diseases coming from other 'ghers' around. It is a comprehensive management which is contributing to raising per hectare output, the official said.
Principal Scientific Offer of the Department of Fisheries Nitya Ranjan Biswas said the breakthrough is now basically taking place at Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat districts. Similar activities are also taking place at Cox's Bazar but progress is better achieved in the Khulna region.
He said at several places like Sutarkhali, Dakup and Koira in the Khulna
region, per hectare output by using semi-intensive method varies between 9.5 and 12 tonnes. It brings about 20 times higher output compared to traditional farming. But the cost of farming is also exorbitantly high and only big farmers can afford it.
Bangladesh shrimp has good export markets in the EU and the USA but in absence of adequate local production, export remains low. The country has now a processing capacity of 0.36 million tonnes of the fish but only 18 to 20 per cent of the capacity is in use.
Nitya Ranjan said shrimp production in 20 thousand hectares of land under semi-intensive method alone may fetch additional output of 0.10 million tonnes to raise the total output to 0.22 million tonnes. Thus exports may rise to 0.12 million tonnes and export earnings may hit Tk 120 billion. It may be over twice as much of the present export earnings.
The country has a total 0.276 million hectares of coastal land under shrimp cultivation including 0.211 million hectares under Tiger shrimp farming. The challenge is too big as to how to turn them to higher productivity level, Mr Golder said.
He said the breakthrough in raising productivity started with the launching of a project at Borodanga village in Dumuria upazila of Khulna district in 2013.
Small farmers were organised in groups to use their ponds and small water bodies for the purpose. Its success as 'Borodanga Model Shrimp Culture Method' quickly spread to other areas and to nearby Satkhira and Bagerhat districts.
