Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA), a research and development arm of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University, U.S.A., for supply of L. Vannamei Parent Post Larvae (PPL) to farmers in Andhra Pradesh.
After an eight-month gap caused due to the pandemic, MPEDA is supplying L.Vannamei (LV) brooders from its Broodstock Multiplication Centre (BMC) at Chepalauppada village in Bheemunipatnam mandal of Visakhapatnam district, said MPEDA Chairman K.S. Srinivas.
Order booking
He launched booking of the fresh stock of Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) L.V brooders (mother prawns) from the BMC on January 1, during his two-day tour in the State.
“Hatchery owners can confirm their bookings immediately. MPEDA is offering an early bird scheme with one-plus-one offer, for the first 10 days (for bookings made from January 1 to 10). The first batch of 25,000 SPF L.V brooders will be ready by January end,” he told The Hindu.
The RGCA will acquire Parent Post Larvae (PPL) from the Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University, which was a pioneer in producing SPF L.V. brooders.
“Brooders are raised under strict biosecurity and certified as SPF by Aquaculture Pathology Lab, University of Arizona, USA, and Central Aquaculture Pathology Lab, RGCA. The mother prawns are acclimatized to Indian weather and environmental conditions,” said RGCA Director S. Kandan.
L. Vannamei brooders supplied by RGCA will have faster growth with high survival percentage. They have passed multiple-level disease tests. The mortality of MPEDA supplied brooders during transportation will be less than 2%, said its Director M. Karthikeyan.
BMC project in charge and Assistant Project Manager (APM) D.V.S.N. Raju said that hatchery operators could book (the brooders) through mobile 91-9491910529, Whatsapp 91-6300747049, landline 08933-224104 or by email at rgcavannameibmc@gmail.com.
