The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Government's help sought for shrimp farmers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 30, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Government's help sought for shrimp farmers

By Our Correspondent

BHIMAVARAM, JULY 29. Mohan Kumar, Chairman, Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA), Cochin, has sought State Government's help to sort out the problems pertaining to shrimp farmers in the State.

Antibiotics' use

Addressing a meeting of shrimp farmers, exporters and officials of MPEDA, fisheries and Nabard here on Wednesday, he called upon the shrimp farming community to avoid use of antibiotics and produce quality product which should be free from muddy and mouldy smell. This could be done if the farmers followed MPEDA norms and adopted `traceability system', which was helpful in getting them minimum support price in the international market.

Mr. Mohan Kumar who was on an official visit to West Godavari district, visited Vempa, Mogaltur and other areas of shrimp culture. He said that he had found muddy and mouldy smell in the produce which was leading to denial of minimum support price.

He admitted that the MPEDA had no control over hatcheries and exporters and offer minimum support price. He advised the Collector, Sanjay Jaju, to form a district-level forum of farmers, exporters and officials to interact on regular basis to discuss and sort out the problems.

Cold storages

The Collector, while seeking cooperation from farmers, exporters and officials in this regard, said that the Government would soon be apprised of the matter and urged to set up cold storages with 3,000 tonnes capacity, offer MSP, loans and give one month training to 20 extension officers, who in turn, would guide farmers.

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