Participating in the one-day National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) here, the officials released the seed on which the CIFA has done investigations for about 10 years, reports TheHindu.
The disease resistant seed will give good profits to the aqua farmers, said the scientists.
On the occasion, Mr Nagireddy said that nearly 30 per cent of the revenue was being generated from agriculture of which 50 per cent was from aquaculture. He advised farmers to follow scientific methods in cultivating shrimp and fish for good returns.
Severe losses
Stating that shrimp farmers suffered severe losses in coastal districts, particularly in East and West Godavari districts last year, Mr Reddy said farmers in Thailand, China and other countries were raising Vennami extensively by following disease resistance methods.
Mr Jayasankar said that NSPAAD was jointly organised by the ICAR, National Bureau of Fish Genetic Research (NBFGC), National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), CIFA and the Fisheries Department.
Disease diagnosis
Issues such as rapid disease diagnosis, disease-free locations and human resources development were discussed in the programme.
During 2014-15, the CIFA would allocate 40 per cent of its budget in developing CIFA’s Regional Office. A research and training centre would be set up in Vijayawada, said the director and released toll free number for aqua farmers.
The officers also released Fish Health Cards for farmers and NSPAAD leaflets on prevention of diseases among various fish varieties.
Mr Jayasankar said despite attacking of diseases on aquaculture, there was not much scientific information and each farmer was spending about 10 per cent of the investment on preventing and controlling diseases on each acre.
