Wider acceptance for its shrimp feed brand — Vanami Plus — seems to have facilitated the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) to enter into technology transfer with private entrepreneurs for the production of cost effective and quality feeds.
This is evident from the opening of the 7th shrimp feed mill at Bhiwani in Haryana on a PPP mode with customised feed processing technology using locally available, cost-effective feed ingredients for Vannamei shrimp culture.
“It is a first of its kind initiative in northern India and will benefit small and medium shrimp farmers in inland saline regions of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan where the feed is sourced from southern States,” KK Vijayan, Director of the Chennai-based CIBA, told BusinessLine. The new feed mill at Haryana could produce 8-10 tonnes per day with an installed production capacity of 750 kg/hour.
The shrimp feed market, Vijayan said, is dominated by MNCs and their Indian partners and prices are hovering at ₹70-80/kg in an estimated market size of 8 lakh tonnes per year. Vanami Plus is a ‘desi’ feed and will be available at a minimal cost of ₹60/kg.
The new business concept will help farmers in availing of fresh feeds directly from mills, bypassing agents and provide farmers a savings on dealer margin. Feed accounts for 50-60 per cent of the total cost of production, he added.
CIBA is in the process of setting up similar shrimp feed mills in Kerala and enquiries are on from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
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