The production of freshwater
shrimp is best suited for warmer climates and is highly lucrative. Farmed
shrimps have steady increased in volume accounting for several million tons
harvested worldwide.
The major producers of this
delicacy are China, Thailand, Mexico and Asia. The business is done either
large scale or small scale. The pond water quality greatly impacts on the
quality of the shrimp.
Harvesting is done through
net harvesting and external harvesting. The customer base, location and market dictate
the price of the product.
The giant Malaysian prawn native to Malaysia
is a popular delicacy in top restaurants.
Starting the Enterprise
You need proper permits to
operate a freshwater shrimp farm. Register your farm name and company
information including tax. Find out if you need an agricultural permit and a
commercial license.
Funding
The business is either home
based or on a commercial property. The size of your farm dictates the amount of
money you need. For a newbie’s we advice you start small and get acquainted to
the creature.
The major investment is
building the shrimp pond. You can seek
soft loans from micro finance banks or through personal savings.
If the operation is large,
write a business plan and present it to agricultural bank.
The Pond
The quality of the fresh
water should be high to sustain shrimp life.
The pond can be a dugout pond, block, plastic pond or concrete pond. The
only determining factor is the depth of the pond.
Shrimps go through the
juvenile stage to adulthood before cultivation. They feed on alga or insect
larva but new ponds lack this basic requirement making culture slightly
challenging.
You can purchase your stock
from commercial hatchery farms in your country. This might be challenging in
certain African countries because shrimp farming is still new.
The pond design is similar
to those used for catfish farming. First select a large site and
excavate the soil before putting a liner.
Aerate the pond and
incorporate a good flow system. Fill your newly constructed pond with fresh
clean water. If you have a natural freshwater river integrate a cage pond into
the flowing steam.
The land you choose to
excavate should be devoid of harmful agents or primal flooding. Any harmful
agent like fertilizer, pesticides should be avoided at all cost.
If you are not using a pond
liner check the soils PH level.
Equipment
The major equipment you need
is the shrimp pond. Other equipment is a generating set, aerator machine, net
and fish feed.
Buy your Stock
Buy your juvenile shrimps
from hatcheries in your area. They don’t cost much and are easily affordable.
The difficultly is transporting them to their new pond without losing stock.
Before transferring the shrimp
make sure the pond is devoid of any contaminants. Place the transported shrimp’s
bag into the pond water to acclimatize them.
Stocking 10,000 – 15,000
shrimps per acre would produce a high density yield. However you should note
that less density equates to larger healthier shrimp.
Make sure there is no marine
life form such as fish in your pond. If they are present they will eat the
shrimp and cause terrible damage.
Feeding
Feeding the shrimp algae is
slightly challenging. The small juvenile forage the pond for food such as
insect larva and plankton.
They will also eat pelted
catfish feed among other food types.
Marketing
Your major markets are top
restaurants or hotels. You can get a contractual agreement with your local fish
store or sell to neighbors.
If your production is large
find out about exporting the product. Exporting shrimp is challenging and
different counties have rules that guide this commerce.
Another very effective
method is opening your own sales outlet. This idea is very profitable and you
make lots of money.
Conclusion
Shrimp farming is a
lucrative venture but has its risks. Learn as much as you can before venturing
into the business. Start small and expand your operation when you gain valuable
experience.
Go to the chambers of
commerce in your area for more information about the business.
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