The Switzerland-based Coop Cooperative has offered its support to Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) for organic shrimp farming model in the State.

Gerhard Zurlutter, a representative of Coop Cooperative was here to study the prospects in this regard and held a meeting with Kufos officials, as the university is planning to promote organic shrimp farming, utilising the rich resources of the mangroves available at Kerala backwaters.

The Coop Cooperative is an international agency to promote organic farming worldwide for the welfare of the society.

Zurlutter visited the farms and ponds at Kufos and reviewed the possibilities of the farming.

He also visited the ponds and grow-outs at Fisheries Station of Kufos located at Puthuvypeen.

The station, which is bastion of mangrove diversity including rare varieties in the country, is considered as an ideal location to start organic farming.

Speaking at the meeting, Zurlutter pointed out that organic shrimp farming could be made successful by making use of mangrove rich backwaters or by planting mangroves on the shores of backwaters and farming ponds. Kufos will study the prospects of the available resources such as backwaters and mangrove areas and will review other features such as trade value, growth rate, availability of seeds, interests of shrimp farmers, etc for making the project a success.

If the conditions are favourable, the university will conduct a pilot farming to develop a suitable farming model.

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