The financial incentives of shrimp farming are leading Indian farmers to abandon rice farming, reports The Hindu.
“The state had about 25,000 hectares of fields under Pokkali cultivation [a form of organic rice farming] a quarter century ago," said Francis Kalathungal, general convener at Pokkali Samrakashana Samithi. "It has declined to less than 5,000 hectares now."
He attributed the situation to neglect by authorities, coupled with the manipulative actions of the fisheries lobby.
The higher monetary benefits from shrimp farming have enticed farmers to embrace it, discarding paddy production, said The Hindu.
---
For more seafood news and updates, follow us on Facebook
