Global Status of Giant Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii Farming with Special Reference to India and Measures for Enhancing Production

Abstract

Macrobrachium rosenbergii widely known as Giant Prawn (GP) is one of the most important freshwater prawn species widely cultured in several tropical and sub-tropical countries around the world. The global production of GP in 2021 was 3,13,756 t with a value of over $ 2.45 billion. China is the top producer with a production of 1,71,263 t accounting for 54.4% of the global production. Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, and India are the other major producers of GP. India used to be the second largest producer of GP in 2005, however, since then the production showed a declining trend till 2012 with production declining from 42,800 t in 2005 to 3,333 t in 2012. The major reasons for the declining production were slow growth rate, outbreak of diseases and low survival during grow-out, which led to poor production and declining profit for the farmers. However, since 2013 there has been a gradual increase in production till 2020, and in 2021 the production showed a 2.5-fold increase from 2020 production. Considering the huge natural resources available for GP farming in the country and the high value it fetches, demand in domestic and export markets, and its potential to enhance the income of farmers, there is an urgent need to further expand GP farming in India. The present paper provides a brief status update on global GP farming with special reference to India and suggests measures for enhancing the aquaculture production of GP in India.