A special project has been initiated under the allocation of Rs. 25 million allocated by His Excellency the President in the 2025 budget to transform the freshwater shrimp industry in this country into a high-yielding business sector through modern technology, says National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) Chairman Mr.Kithsiri Dharmapriya.
The specialty of this new method is that instead of releasing shrimp post-larvae directly into reservoirs according to the traditional method, the larvae are kept in cages in the reservoir itself and given pre-growing for about a month before being released into the reservoir. Accordingly, the Authority has taken steps to establish 25 experimental cages in the main reservoirs where freshwater shrimp are cultivated.
*The Chairman, further commenting on this new method and its progress, stated:*
"We have already successfully implemented this experimental project in the Giritale Tank, two tanks in the Anuradhapura District and two tanks in the Northern Province. Previously, about 300-400 larvae had to be released into the tanks to obtain a kilo of shrimp.
However, we anticipate that with this new "cage technique," we will be able to harvest a kilogram of shrimp from around 100 developed shrimp fry by releasing shrimp that have grown about 1.5 to 2 inches after a month. This will increase the efficiency of the freshwater shrimp industry by three times."
In view of the success of this program, the private sector and provincial councils are also actively contributing to this. The Chairman further emphasized that entrepreneurs who purchase freshwater shrimp in particular have come forward to provide shrimp larvae and necessary food, and that the Uva and Southern Provincial Councils will also provide the necessary support to expand this project in their provinces. The National Aquaculture Development Authority expects that through this new technological intervention, it will be possible to strengthen the economy of freshwater fishermen and provide consumers with a higher harvest of freshwater shrimp.
