Shrimp farmers suffering

17 August 2012

biswabrata goswami
TAMLUK, 17 AUG: The economy of East Midnapore district could be in trouble, since it is heavily dependent upon the cultivation of Bagda prawns, a product for which there is dwindling demand.
In the last month, at least five struggling Bagda prawn growers who had taken out loans they could not repay committed suicide or died.
Susanta Mondol (50) of Uttar Amtalia in Contai-II block died two days ago due to cardiac arrest when they heard that his prawns, worth of Rs 5-6 lakh, had died. Jagat Singh (45) of Bairi in Contai-III committed suicide as he was unable to repay a loan.
"Another three Bagda cultivators from Contai-II and Chnadipur committed suicide, but neither the fisheries department nor the district administration has taken steps to combat the situation,' said Mr Mamud Hossain, the zilla parishad saha-sabhadhipati. "If this situation continues for a few more days, thousands of fishermen's families will suffer huge losses." 
Bagda chingri is the lifeline of the shrimp farmers of Contai-I, II and III, Bhagwanpur-I, Nandigram-I and II, Mahisadal, Sutahata and Khejuri blocks ~ the district’s main shrimp-producing zone.
A fisheries department official said shrimp enclosure owners and farmers cultivated Bagda as there was high demand for it abroad even five years ago. “But the economic slowdown has pushed down the demand taking its toll on Indian exporters,” the official said.
“Shrimp export from the three coastal districts began 30 years ago. From 1982 to 2007, shrimp helped the country fetch a hefty amount of foreign currency,” he said. There are 5,000 shrimp enclosures on 12,000 acres of land in the district, with about 45,000 workers. The shrimp from East Midnapore account for 30 per cent of the country’s total shrimp export, the official said.
Declining exports are now forcing the farmers to sell their produce in the local market at half the price of the last year, said Mr Amar Das, a member of the Bagda Chasi and Bagda Chas Bachao Committee. As a result, large amounts of Bagda remain unsold and perish in the retail market for lack of buyers during the peak season (May-August).
A local shrimp enclosure owner said farmers first sell the shrimp to the local market, cold storage and depots. Depot owners sell the shrimp to exporters who export the shrimp after scanning, processing and packaging them.
The farmers say the cost of shrimp cultivation per bigha is Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, and it is rising every year with increases in prices of medicines and other things. According to farmers, they are now losing Rs 1 lakh per bigha. Mr Das said, “We under the banner of Bagda Chasi and Bagda Chas Bachao Committee have submitted a deputation before the government, but nothing has improved”.