A natural prawn farming project was launched under the guidance and assistance of NAQDA in the Chundikulam reservoir in the Kilinochchi district by Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda.
The reservoir extends over 32,500 acres and holds a massive volume of brackish water. It is envisaged to be ideal for the project.
Northern Provincial Council Chief Secretary Vijayaluxmi under the instructions of Northern Province Governor Major General G.A. Chandrasiri has allocated Rs 15 million to start the project.
NAQDA Secretary General Nimalchandra and Thayaparan, a businessman, have also assisted in the project.
The latter's role is to purchase the entire catch from the fishermen at a fair price and export the entire harvest to foreign markets.
The minister released about 25 million post larvae obtained from different breeding centres in the island into the reservoir. For the management of this project, 14 co-operatives have been set up with a membership of about 1,500. A fully grown prawn will weigh about 100 gms and harvest could be obtained in a period of 3½ months. Unlike fresh water prawns, these brackish water prawns do not need special food or supplying of oxygen as they solely feed on micro organisms found in the water.
A capital is not needed for farming these prawns. Harvesting also needs to be done at the right time. Failure to do so would result in the death of these brackish water prawns.
There is a huge demand for these prawns in foreign countries and a kilogram fetches about Rs 500. At harvest time, a fisherman could easily catch about 100 kilograms of prawns per day thus contributing for the enhancement of their income.
NAQDA organization and Thayaparan expect to buy the entire stock of prawns during the harvest. There is also a big demand for these brackish water prawns farmed under natural conditions than those from prawn farms. In Singapore, a kilogram of brackish water prawns could fetch about 10 dollars.
The minister will take action to farm fresh water and sea water fish and prawns in all fresh water and brackish water reservoirs in the Northern region, as a measure to provide the protein requirement of the people, especially that of children.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/01/31/news27.asp
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