News from SeafoodMedia on May 12, in order to promote the development of aquaculture industry in India, the Ministry of Livestock, Dairy and Fisheries of India has launched three national-level projects at the Semi-marine Aquaculture Center (CIBA) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) , aimed at boosting the Indian aquaculture industry by improving indigenous white shrimp species, providing insurance to farmers and strengthening disease surveillance systems.

These projects are expected to increase the income of shrimp farmers, reduce their financial burden and contribute to the overall growth of the country's economy.

What are these three items?

The first project, the Indian White Shrimp Genetic Improvement Programme, aimed at reducing dependence on exotic specific pathogen-free Pacific white shrimp species (Penaeus vannamei), has become a national priority for the Center for Semimarine Aquaculture (CIBA).

The project aims to genetically improve Indian white shrimp species to be commercially viable, disease resistant and productive.

The second project is a shrimp crop insurance product developed by the Center for Semimarine Aquaculture (CIBA) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The product charges an insurance price ranging from 3.7% to 7.7% of the input cost according to the individual location and requirements of the shrimp farmer. In the event of total crop loss, i.e. a crop loss of more than 70%, the shrimp farmer will be compensated for 80% of the lost input cost.

The program provides shrimp farmers with insurance against the risks of natural disasters, disease and other uncertainties. The insurance scheme helps reduce the financial burden on farmers and encourages them to invest more in shrimp farming.

The third program is the National Aquatic Animal Disease Surveillance Program (NSPAAD), which aims to strengthen the disease surveillance system of shrimp farmers. Since 2013, the Government of India has implemented the National Action Plan for Avian Influenza with a focus on strengthening the shrimp farmer-based disease surveillance system.

Results from the first phase have demonstrated that the project has reduced income losses due to disease and increased shrimp farmers' income and export volumes. India is the third largest fish producer in the world, with an output of about 14.73 million tons. It is also one of the largest exporters of farmed shrimp, with an annual export volume of about 700,000 tons. India plans to achieve a production target of 1.4 million tons in 2024.

The main producers of farmed shrimp in India are Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. It is worth noting that more than 95% of farmed shrimp is exported. Seafood exports are particularly important, accounting for about 70 percent of the country's seafood exports, worth 4.2 billion rupees (approximately more than 5.5 billion US dollars).