Sat Apr 05 17:35:00 UTC 2025: ## India’s Prawn Production Booms Despite Challenges
**Chennai, India – April 6, 2025** – India’s aquaculture industry is thriving, with prawn production experiencing a remarkable 17% annual growth rate. The country is now the world’s third-largest producer of aquaculture products and the second-largest producer of prawns, driven by increasing domestic and export demand for this high-protein, low-fat seafood.
Andhra Pradesh leads the way in prawn farming, followed by West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Gujarat. The popular black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) is a key contributor, with farmers striving to meet market demand for larger prawns (30 or fewer per kilogram).
However, the industry faces significant challenges, primarily from disease outbreaks. Bacterial pathogens like Vibrio harveyi and the white spot syndrome virus can wipe out up to 25% of annual yields. Farmers employ various innovative strategies to combat these threats, including:
* **Smaller ponds:** Reducing pond size minimizes losses during outbreaks, as championed by farmer Siva Rama Rudraraju of Andhra Pradesh.
* **Disease surveillance:** Laboratories offer rapid pathogen identification, allowing for swift action.
* **Crow control:** Plastic nets and even crow hunting are used to prevent the spread of disease via infected prawns carried by birds.
* **Probiotics:** Bacillus bacteria are introduced to outcompete harmful pathogens.
* **Disease-free broodstock:** The Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) is developing “specific pathogen-free” prawns to reduce disease risk.
* **Phage therapy:** Bacteriophages, viruses that target Vibrio bacteria, are being utilized.
These combined efforts, along with the ingenuity of Indian farmers and ongoing research, have propelled India’s prawn production to new heights, solidifying its position as a major player in the global aquaculture market. The industry’s future success hinges on continued innovation and effective disease management.
First Piper 