In a devastating blow to shrimp farmers in Nagapattinam district, white spot disease has wreaked havoc on over 100 acres of shrimp farming in the past month, resulting in estimated losses amounting to crores of rupees. The outbreak, attributed to the viral disease, has left aquaculture enthusiasts in distress as they grapple with significant financial setbacks.
According to officials from the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), approximately 40 hectares of shrimp farming areas in the district have been adversely affected by the spread of the disease. Reports indicate that shrimp farmers along the coastline between Nagore and Kodiyakarai have been witnessing troupes of shrimps succumbing to the viral onslaught, posing a dire challenge to their livelihoods.
Chandirabose, a shrimp farmer with a five-acre farm in Therkku Poigainallur, shared the grim reality of the situation, stating that a substantial portion of his shrimp stock, aged around one month, had perished due to the disease. He lamented a loss exceeding Rs 5 lakh, highlighting the severity of the crisis. Despite expectations of a harvest yield of around 15 tons, Chandirabose reported that only a fraction of healthy shrimp, totaling 200 kilos, could be salvaged, underscoring the magnitude of the impact on production.
Officials from the fisheries department revealed that the disease primarily spreads through fluids, with the potential for transmission by birds carrying infected shrimp from one farm to another. As a preventive measure, experts have advised farmers to chlorinate farm ponds to contain the spread of the disease. Additionally, affected farmers have been urged to consider insuring their farms to mitigate financial losses incurred as a result of the outbreak.
Inland aquaculture, overseen by the Coastal Aquaculture Authority, has been under scrutiny by the MPEDA, which has been actively assessing the extent of the disease’s impact over the past month. The grim situation underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts to address the challenges faced by shrimp farmers in Nagapattinam, as they navigate through this crisis and strive for the revival of their livelihoods.
