BIZ-MPEDA

The quarantine unit for Tiger Shrimp

at the Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC), set up by the

Marine Products Export Development Autority at Vallarpadam

here, was inaugurated Thursday.

An MPEDA release said the unit was inaugurated by Tarun

Shridhar, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries,

Government of India.

Speaking at the function, Shridhar said the newly

opened unit wouldregain the pride of place ofthe indigenous

species Black Tiger shrimpin the Indian subcontinent, which

is now occupied by the exotic species, Vannamei.

Patting MPEDA and its research arm, the Rajiv Gandhi

Centre for Aquaculture, for establishing the MAC, he said the

facility would cater to the growing demand for fingerlings of

various export-oriented species like Seabass, Cobia, Tilapia

and Pompano.

K S Srinivas, the MPEDA chairman, said this was the first

of its kind facility in the west coast, set upwhen there is a

huge demand for the healthy seeds.