Meet the farmerThe man who sowed a flourishing shrimp industry in Gujurat’s barren fields

Can you give a brief overview of your background?

I was born at Nanded, in Maharashtra, in the western part of India. Since childhood I was fascinated with fishes and used to catch them from a small pond near my house. I wanted to become a doctor after completing my Class 12 but couldn’t take up the admission in medical college due to the poor economic condition of my family.  

Eventually, I took admission in a bachelor of science (fisheries) stream after being persuaded by my school teacher. I passed out with good percentage and then undertook a master’s in aquaculture management from the prestigious Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) in Mumbai. 

What inspired you to start shrimp farming?

On 28 September 1994, I relocated from my hometown Nanded to Olpad, a town in Gujarat state after getting a job on a freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) project. I still remember coming here with just Rs 500 ($6) in my pocket. 

I worked on the farm for three months but realised that the state had lot of potential for shrimp farming, even though the people here are mostly vegetarians. I found that the salt-enriched soils of the Dandi area in Gujarat were lying barren and not fit for agriculture. Shrimp farming had a huge potential in Gujarat but the local farmers didn’t have any knowledge of it.

I worked on small freshwater prawn farms and also river seed supply until 1997. I also got a chance to work with farmers in Dandi on seawater shrimp – mostly monodon.  I worked as a technical advisor to all Surat-based shrimp farmers until 2005 then started shrimp farming on 12 acres of ponds in the same year. I got the support of a local village head, Pradeep Navik in Dandi, who shared a similar vision for economic prosperity for farmers like me. 

People used to laugh at us when we were digging the ponds, as they thought that it was a waste of time. But we didn’t give up. We had to also face other challenges, including disease outbreaks and legal hurdles.

Can you describe, in detail, the current setup of your farm? 

At present, my farm is spread over 500 acres in four locations in Gujarat. I produce over 1,000 tonnes of shrimp annually – both vannamei and black tiger (monodon). 

I cultivate black tiger as the main crop from March to September and produce around 700-800 tonnes. Vannamei is a subsidiary crop which is done from October to February and the production is around 300-350 tonnes. Since 2022, Gujarat has been shifting towards black tiger farming. 

Have you adopted any interesting technology?

In 2018, I took around 25 acres of land from the Gujarat government and started a hi-tech multiphase indoor system which is completely isolated and has a seven-step water treatment to ensure a disease-free shrimp rearing environment.

The shrimp are reared in three different stages: pre-nursery, nursery and grow-out. 

I purchase post-larvae (PLs) at stage 8 from a hatchery and raise them to PL 15 level in two tanks of 50 tonnes capacity each. The shrimp are then raised from PL 15 to PL 45 in another tank. They are then shifted to the farm and the crop is ready in another 70 days. We use rapid and slow sand filters, an ozonizer, an oxygenator and UV filters.

This system minimises the risk of diseases and increases survivability. I can take two crop cycles each year in this way and can easily double my production and of course income. 

I procure my seed from hatcheries mostly from the east coast of India, but also from Gujarat. The feed is also from the market. I produce health care products myself. The genetics are Unibio for the black tiger and Syaqua for the vannamei. I employ around 200 people. 

Are you involved in any social or environmental initiatives?

I am proud to say that I brought the science of shrimp farming here to Gujarat in 1994. At present over 1,600 farmers have started shrimp farming and over 100,000 people are getting direct or indirect employment from shrimp. The barren land where no other farming was possible is being effectively used. 

At present, 2.47 acres can produce shrimp worth over $30,000 and generate employment for 10 people. 

The state has around 10,000 acres in shrimp farming but still there is huge potential, with a further 375,000 hectares suitable for shrimp cultivation. The government should focus more on this area as it can be the major source of foreign revenue. 

How does your farm compare to / differ from other shrimp farms in India? 

I believe in natural carrying capacity more than high technology. We should farm based on the amount of shrimp per cubic metre a water body can hold without posing any adverse impact on the environment. There is no need for excess pressure for higher production. Farming within our carrying capacity makes us different from others.

Can you describe the other businesses – and associations – that you run / are involved in, in conjunction with your farming operations?’

My mainstay is farming and then I have seed and nursery. I am also a corporate dealer for feed and make health care products for shrimp. 

I also sell frozen shrimp, have a shrimp-themed restaurant [Zhingalala] and offer technical consultancy. Besides, recently I have started a biotechnology company where we are making biomolecules.

What are the key challenges you’ve had to overcome to grow the farm over the years and how did you succeed?

The biggest challenge is dealing with both emerging and established diseases so I am a big supporter of low stocking densities, as shrimp farming has to be done in a stress-free and eco-friendly environment. 

The major challenge for our country is our overdependence on exports, and this has to be reduced by growing the domestic market.

What have been your most proud achievements in aquaculture so far? 

Witnessing the transformation of salt-affected barren lands into aquaculture businesses that are providing food and profits to millions.

What are the main markets for your shrimp?

I am selling to processing units for exports, while I sell around 400 tonnes annually to local markets.

The majority of production from India is exported to the US and China, but we should also look to Europe, even though they have strict food regulations, as well as Japan, South Korea, the Middle East, Russia and Canada.

What are the main challenges facing the wider Indian shrimp sector and how do you think they can be overcome?

Our main challenge is the overdependence on exports and the high failure rate, which is around 35-40 per cent. We and Ecuador are exporting the majority of shrimp, while other countries are also coming up, leading to overproduction. The profits of farmers are already dwindling due to the huge supply. 

We are talking about competition and tariffs, not focusing on the domestic market, but India is a huge market, having world’s highest population of around 1.46 billion.