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Shrimp farming
alternatives promoted |
| In a bid to
alleviate the crisis suffered by the country’s shrimp sector, the
National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA)
is coming up with new farming alternatives. One is inland farming,
where ponds of no more than 15 hectares are used.
This type of farming does not require
massive amounts of water and water can be produced in microclimates
using underground water sources. Between USD 20,000 and USD
35,000 are needed per hectare and the farming is controlled by a
special legal framework, says Jorge Illingworth, president of the
CNA. |
Inland farming, where ponds of no
more than 15 hectares are
used is being debated by the sector. (Photo:E A Rios) |
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Illingworth is confident that in the medium
and long-term, the shrimp industry will pick up, but he said obstacles
such as lack of proper scientific research and government support need
to be overcome. “It is obvious that
the sector needs economic support from the government,” he adds.
The future looks bright, he says, with
genetic changes allowing the shrimp to be harvested more quickly without
upset and education of farmers with regards to avoidance of antibiotics,
such as chloramphenicol, which are prohibited by importers.
The domestic shrimp sector has been
struggling for the past three years since the outbreak of the white spot
syndrome. Up to the end of 1999, there were 175,000 hectares of shrimp
ponds, but today only 80,000 are left operating. The rest are either
unused or only half used, says Illingworth.
Recovery from the white spot syndrome has
been an uphill struggle, mainly because a lot of research was needed
before the shrimp could be made immune to the virus.
 FIS.com |
