SUSTAINABILITY OF SHRIMP FARMING IN INDIA - A CASE STUDY OF PUDIPARTHI SHRIMP PONDS AT KANDALERU CREEK, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

ABSTRACT

India being endowed with a vast coastline, has been a successful producer of Aqua culture products and is a competitive supplier of shrimps. Andhra Pradesh emerged as leading producer of this species. However, due to unsustainable farming practices many ponds have become unit for Shrimp culture. Poor farming practices has greatly affected the quality of the environment and this in turn has to led to large scale abandonment of shrimp farms. Further, the abandonment of existing farms has resulted in conversion of agricultural lands and mangroves to new shrimp ponds. The primary objective of this paper is to study the shrimp farming practices of the farmers, understand the challenges faced by the shrimp farmers and explore the underlying causes for abandonment of ponds. The study is based on a focus group discussion conducted among few farmers who have been practicing Shrimp culture near the Kandaleru Creek of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh. Abandonment of shrimp ponds and conversion of mangroves into new shrimp ponds for culture affects the environmental sustainability and future prospects of the shrimp industry. Further the study also attempts to identify development strategies that could be implemented to revive the existing ponds for practice of sustainable shrimp culture.