The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) has developed a live feed that can help in reducing India’s dependence on imports from China and the US.
Artemia, the main live feed for shrimp as well as fish hatcheries, has been introduced by RGCA, which is the research wing of the Marine Products Export Development Agency, popularly known as MPEDA, under the brand name ‘Pearl’.
Developed under the Make in India programme, the live feed was launched by Indian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu at the 5th edition of MPEDA’s Aqua Aquaria India (AAI) held in Hyderabad. MPEDA Chairman M K S Srinivas said that “India at present imports around 300 tonnes of Artemia in dried cyst form worth Rs. 300 crore per annum, mainly from China and USA. It is an essential consumable in shrimp & fish hatcheries for the larvae of farmed aquatic organisms”.
He further added “Artemia appears only in waters of high salinity. There is a huge potential for artemia live feed in India and its operations can be expanded on a big scale in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra”.
It is important to mention that India is looking to increase its seafood exports from $ 7 billion to $ 15 billion till 2024 via introduction of new varieties & expansion of aquaculture cultivation to new regions.
The chairman further said, “Our indigenous artemia Pearl brand is a big step in realizing this ambitious goal”.
Dr. S. Kandan, project director, MPEDA-RGCA said, “The University of Kent in Belgium, the authority to test artemia, has certified our product as the best of its kind in the world. “
The cost of imported brands of artemia costs around Rs 5,300 for 450 grams in our country while the Pearl brand artemia developed indigenously is priced much lower at Rs 3,500 (450 grams). He pointed out that “The cost can be brought down further once the production increases”.
