Shocking: 160 Tons harvest per hectare in one year
Nishanth Reddy of AP, India employed Biofloc technology for shrimp cultivation which converts the waste residue into feed, thus yielding 30 times more raw material produce. He harvested about 160 tons of shrimp in a duration of one year with a successful 4 crop cycle.
In 2015, Nishanth Reddy, a fresh CSE graduate took up shrimp farming from his father. He was new to the industry with no idea where to start. Today, this 27-year-old is driving 30 times more production from his 5-hectare shrimp farm located at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh by using Biofloc technology.
“India is the second-largest exporter of shrimp in the world. But the pandemic and certain diseases which affect the species brought down our production. When I stepped into this field, many diseases were prevalent and I decided to study their root cause,” says Nishanth, owner of Sri Lakshmi Prasanna Aquaculture Pvt Ltd, Nellore, AP, India.
Technology-Backed Farming
Most problems occur due to the polluted soil bed of every pond. Nishanth observed this in the very beginning & worked on creating a better ecosystem for aquaculture. He introduced HDPE geomembrane covering to the floor of the ponds. This reduced the risk caused by polluted soils.
Biofloc technology is another effective method he applied which tremendously increased shrimp production. “Like any other living being, shrimps excrete the same quantity of feed given to them. Using this technology, the faecal matter is converted back to feed which is highly nutritious. Aggregates of bacteria, algae, and protozoa are held together in a matrix with organic matter to improve water quality and prevent diseases. It is an eco-friendly practice that reuses and reduces waste,” explains Nishanth.
He was introduced to this method through thorough research. He says that scientists of Israel carried out this technique and Nishanth made farmers of Andhra necessary changes while employing it at his aquafarm. “It is for the first time that this approach is carried out in India,” he claims.
Courtesy: Indian Express | Posted on: 29th Dec 2021