FRESHWATER PRAWNS

Marketing

Marketing prawns alive will usually generate a better price but, it also increases handling costs. Marketing them successfully in this way depends on the ability to keep them alive during transport and display, and to present undamaged, healthy prawns in an attractive way.

Marketing your freshwater prawns fresh or frozen

Prawns can be sold fresh (chilled) if they are going to be consumed within 5 (preferably 3) days. Prawns, which are not expected to be sold within 3 days, should immediately be frozen. Freezing should take place when they are fresh, not after they have been on ice for several days. Frozen tails have a longer shelf life than whole prawns. Whole frozen freshwater prawns will turn ‘mushy' if they are frozen and held above -20°C, or if they are thawed and refrozen. It is recommended that prawns to be stored for long periods be held at -30 to -35°C. Tails which are frozen in ice blocks may be stored for over a year and still be very satisfactory, although a maximum of six months is recommended. Glazing or vacuum packing significantly prolongs the useful life of frozen prawns. While vacuum packing requires elaborate processing facilities, not available to small farms, glazing is quite simple: a very thin mixture of syrup and water prevents oxidation.

Economics

The detailed economic analysis of larviculture and farming of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in India is given in below.

Economics of seed production of M. rosenbergii of 10 million capacity

Sl. No.	Item	Rs (in lakhs)
I.	Expenditure
A.	Fixed Capital
1.	Hatchery site (2000 m 2 @ Rs. 75/ m²)	1.50
2.	Hatchery building (20 x 15 m)	9.00
3.	Construction of office (80 m 2 for seed packing/ laboratory/store)	2.40
4.	Brood stock pond (0.10 ha)	0.60
5.	Larval rearing tanks (RCC, 20 nos of 2.5 MT)	1.00
6.	PL rearing tanks (RCC, 12 nos of 12 MT)	2.90
7.	Water storage tanks
	Seawater tank (10 x 2.5 x 2 m)	1.50
	Freshwater tank (8 x 2.5 x 2 m)	1.20
	Mixed water tank (8 x 2.5 x 2 m, 3 nos)	3.60
8.	Artemia hatching unit (200 l, 4 nos)	0.10
9.	Air blowers (2 nos, 5 hp)	1.00
10.	Generator (15 KVA) with accessories	1.50
11.	Water pumps (3 nos for freshwater, seawater and mixed water)	0.35
12.	Water supply /aeration connection	0.50
13.	Electrification	0.50
14.	Bore-well	0.75
15.	Miscellaneous expenditure	0.60
	Sub-total	29.00
B.	Variable cost (for 5 cycle)*
1.	Cost of broodstock development	1.00
2.	Cost of transportation of seawater	0.50
3.	Larval feed ( Artemia cysts 200 kg @ Rs. 4000/kg and formulated diets)	9.00
4.	Chemical/medicines	0.50
5.	Electricity	2.00
6.	Wages (1 Manager @ 5000/month and 12 labourers @ 2000/month for 1 year)	3.48
7.	Miscellaneous expenditure	1.00
	Sub-total	17.48
C.	Total Costs
1.	Variable cost for 5 cycles	17.48
2.	Depreciation cost on fixed capital at 15% level	4.35
3.	Interest on fixed capital @15% per annum	4.35
	Grand-total	26.18
II.	Gross Income
	Sale of PL 8 million seed at 80% of hatchery capacity (@ of Rs. 500/1000 nos)	40.00
III.	Net Income (Gross income- Total cost)	13.82

* The capital requirement for variable cost may be only 25-30% of the above shown amount, as the income from sale of post-larvae after one cycle may be ploughed back for the subsequent cycles.

(Source: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)

Economics of grow-out production of prawn

Sl. No.	Item	Amount (in Rupees)
I.	Expenditure
A.	Variable Cost
1.	Pond lease value	10,000
2.	Prawn seed @ 60,000/ha @ Rs. 600 /1000 Nos.including transportation cost	36,000
3.	Fertilizers and lime	6,000
4.	Supplementary feed (pellet form @ 3 t/crop @ Rs. 20/kg)	60,000
5.	Wages (One @ Rs. 2000/month for 9 months)	18,000
6.	Electricity and fuel	3,000
7.	Harvesting charges	5,000
8.	Miscellaneous expenditure	3,000
	Sub-total	1,41,000

B.	Total Cost
1.	Variable cost	1,41,000
2.	Interest on variable cost (@ 15% per annum for 6 months)	10,725
	Grand total	1,51,725

II.	Gross Income
	Sale of big size prawn (@ Rs. 175/kg for 1000 kg)	1,75,000
	Sale of small size prawn (@ Rs. 70/- kg for 500 kg)	35,000
	Grand total	2,10,000

III.	Net Income (Gross income – Total cost)	58,275

(Source: Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture)

Last updated: 19-8-2006

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