On par with other available feeds, as claimed by the institute, the cost of CIBA shrimp feed has an edge over the imported commercial varieties because its production involves indigenous technology and machinery, and largely uses indigenous raw materials as well, the institute claims.
The raw materials are selected from a list of 16 ingredients, most of them indigenous and easily available, representing protein sources (animal and plant), lipids, carbohydrate sources, feed additives and binders, according to scientists involved in the project.
Separately developed for tiger shrimp and the white shrimp, based on their dietary nutritional requirements, the feed formulations contain vitamin and mineral mixtures developed exclusively for the respective shrimp species. The formulations also contain feed attractants and other feed additives required for faster growth of shrimp.
The feeds were tested in yard experiments and also in extensive field trials in grow-out ponds.
Use of this feed can reduce the cost of production of the shrimp by about 20 per cent and fetch the farmers a better profit, scientists involved in the project believe on basis of the results of the field trials.
Since shrimp aquaculture is carried out only in about 15 per cent of the coastal lands available for the purpose and the area under shrimp farming is rapidly expanding in India, this feed has a great market opportunity, Dr R K Vijayan, Director of CIBA, hopes.
The CIBA shrimp feed technology can be transferred to prospective entrepreneurs by the institute, says the Director.
