Shrimp seeds may command higher price

Shrimp hatchery owners are expecting 3-4 paise more per seed during this season as compared to the last season despite a fall in shrimp prices in the international market. There are about 280 shrimp hatcheries in the state with a production capacity of about 14 billion seeds a year.

"Though the production level is almost the same as that of last season's, we are expecting 3-4 paise more on each seed during this season," M Sudarsan Swamy, president, All India Shrimp Hatcheries Association, told Business Standard.

Shrimp operators have produced only 6-7 billion seeds this season due to lack of demand last season, he added.

Hatcheries had sold shrimp seeds at 60-70 paise. But, prices gradually declined so much so that seeds were sold for as low as 12-13 paise during the last season.

The low price of seeds has forced 10-15 per cent of the hatcheries to close down while 65-70 per cent of the total 280 hatcheries in the state have been leased to entrepreneurs, K Varahala Raju, chairman and managing director of Rajkamal Shrimp Hatcheries Private Limited, and former president of North Coastal Andhra Shrimp Hatcheries Association, told Business Standard.

Of the total production, 20 per cent seed would be available to farmers by next week and another 20 per cent seed would come to the market by middle of January. By the first week of February, the entire seed would be made available to farmers, Sudarsan Swamy said.

During this season, operators are expecting 20-25 paise per good quality seed and 12-15 paise on low quality seed. Low quality seed is mostly exported to Kolkata and Orissa markets where importers offer only 12-15 paise per seed.

During this season, the brooders (mother shrimp "� each brooder lays about 5 lakh eggs) will be available for Rs 15,000-20,000.