| The new sluice structure designed doesn’t require much maintenance |
Perseverance: Mr. Sudhakaran, shrimp farmer with the sluice structure.
The South-western part of Thrissur district in Kerala accounts for a major share of brackish water fish production. Vellangallur, Azhikode, Kodungallur regions in particular are famous for their traditional prawn filtration units called ‘Chemmeen Kettu’ in Malayalam.
Mr. C.K. Sudhakaran, is a progressive fish farmer in Narayanamangalam village, Thrissur. His shrimp farm has been selected as the innovative farm under the ‘Yet To Harvest’ National Innovative Program of the Department of Biotechnology, Kochi University of Science and Technology.
He adopts semi-intensive culture of tiger shrimps in a pond area of 16 acres and harvests two crops a year.
Harvesting yield
“Initially I was able to harvest only 400 kg of shrimp from an acre. But I was determined to increase the yield and make a mark in this field. By 2006 I have been able to harvest about 2,500 kg of shrimp from a hectare,” he says.
A private shrimp feed manufacturing firm adopted his farm as their demonstration unit and incorporated all new scientific techniques and methods available in shrimp farming such as draining of the pond before the culture period, pre-treatment of water, bleaching, introduction of mechanical aerators (paddle wheel and spiral aerators). But they could not make much headway.
Thereafter Mr. Sudhakaran decided to personally take care of his farm. After considerable thought and labour he designed and developed a permanent sluice structure (a device which controls the water inflow and outflow) which is cost effective and much more beneficial. The sluice structure designed by him consists of a 3-4 m length hollow concrete pipe placed horizontally and earthed.
Easy maintenance
It doesn’t require much maintenance, making it cheaper for the local farmers compared to wooden sluices more commonly used (but require periodic maintenance). Concrete sluices are also used in some farms but the initial investment is high for the common man to bear. According to Joemol .C. Baby, Programme Assistant (Fisheries), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Thrissur, though there are several fish farmers in the region who practise shrimp farming, very few have been able to harvest as rich a yield as Mr. Sudhakaran.
fish toxicant
Giving details about his farm, Mr. Sudhakaran explains that before each crop, the ponds are drained, bleached for disinfecting and tea seed oilcake (fish toxicant) is applied for eradication of unwanted predatory and weed fishes (small fishes which compete with cultured species for food and space).
Water is pre-treated and the sediment is allowed to settle down in a small pit before the water’s entry into culture ponds. These pits are later used as harvest pits where shrimps get collected while ponds are drained for harvesting, thus reducing labour as well as time, and the quality of the captured product is also better.
Indigenous technique
Manuring is done using cow dung and an indigenous technique common among fish farmers in the region, that is rice bran, jaggery, yeast and micronutrients sometimes along with cooked sardines are allowed to ferment for 24 hours and are sprinkled all over the pond surface.
The culture period (growing time) for the shrimps is about 90-120 days until they attain marketable size. The shrimp seeds (small ones) are artificially fed with supplementary feeds for better production.
Check trays are used to avoid wastage of feed and periodic sampling is done to monitor feeding levels and disease occurrence. Proper aeration is provided using a paddle wheel and spiral aerators.
Water quality
Mr. Sudhakaran takes special care and effort to maintain the water quality. Water quality parameters are tested every week and control measures are taken. Mr. Sudhakaran markets his product at Rs. 300-350 per kg.
For more information contact Joemol .C. Baby, Programme Assistant (Fisheries), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, KAU, Thrissur, Phone: 0487:2375855. email: jojo_joby@yahoo.co.in, mobile: 9388268632.
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