Date:11/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/11/stories/2005021103480500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Malaysian team visits scampi culture farms

By Our Correspondent

KAKINADA, FEB. 10. A ten-member Malaysian team led by Dato Nazir, Director-General, Farmers Organisations Authority, visited some scampi (fresh water prawn) culture farms in and around Kakinada on Thursday and observed the techniques adopted by Indian aqua farmers for achieving higher yields and returns.

Accompanied by T.Baburao, a former member of MPEDA and a major exporter of shrimp, the team earlier visited aquaculture fields in Nellore and West Godavari districts during the past two days and made enquiries with officials and non-officials on the prospects of fresh water prawn culture which has great demand all over the world. Tony De Selva, consultant heading Ms Sendaya Private Limited in Malaysia, who is coordinating the tour, told newsmen that the purpose of the visit was to conduct a preliminary survey on shrimp culture in India, especially in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh which constitute 85 per cent of the shrimp production.