Vidarbha’s ambitions to emerge as a major contributor to India’s burgeoning blue economy received a decisive push as senior fisheries scientists and aquaculture specialists presented a data-rich, forward-looking roadmap at Agrovision. The deliberations underscored that the region, traditionally known for cotton and citrus, now stands at the frontlines of India’s next major agri-economic diversification: inland aquaculture and saline-water shrimp farming.

Sharing the national context, Dr. Telwekar of Matsyavigyan Mahavidyalaya, Nagpur, highlighted that India’s fisheries sector has reached an all-time-high production of 175.45 lakh tonnes, contributing a Gross Value Added (GVA) of Rs 2,88,526 crore to the economy. Vidarbha, despite being landlocked, has recorded 85,586 tonnes of fish production, translating to 0.456 tonnes per hectare, signaling both progress and the untapped potential for intensification. He noted that species such as freshwater prawns, tilapia, and Asian seabass have rapidly gained market traction due to rising consumer demand and favourable farm-gate economics.

Dr. Telwekar pointed to emerging commercial benchmarks, citing ICAR-CIFE’s data on state-level prawn expansion. Punjab now has 1,200 acres under prawn farming, while Rajasthan has 1,000 acres, demonstrating how non-traditional states have leveraged technology and water-efficient models to scale aquaculture. Traditional prawn cultivation, he added, yields profits between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh per cycle, depending on productivity, survival rates, and input management. With prawns valued at approximately Rs 500 per kg in the domestic market and production costs ranging from Rs 250 to Rs 300, the margins remain attractive for farmers willing to invest in better seed quality, biosecurity, and feed practices. Global markets — especially the United States and Europe — continue to command strong demand, offering Indian farmers export-linked price premiums.

Providing a deeper scientific and strategic evaluation, Dr. S. Munilkumar, Principal Scientist, ICAR–Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), outlined how inland saline aquaculture could be a breakthrough segment for Vidarbha. He emphasised that the last five years have seen unprecedented government investment — $ 2.5 billion — driving the creation of 25,000 hectares of additional aquaculture area, 4,000 biofloc units, 12,000 Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS) units, 3,200 hectares of inland saline farming clusters, nearly 900 hatcheries, and 25 brood banks. This ecosystem shift, he said, is laying the foundation for India’s next aquaculture frontier.

Dr. Munilkumar noted that India’s shrimp export market, valued at $ 9.2 billion in 2024, is projected to grow at a 10.1 percent CAGR through 2033. To keep pace with this demand, India must expand inland aquaculture, especially in regions with salt-affected soils — areas historically seen as liabilities but now increasingly viewed as high-potential production zones. He highlighted ICAR-CIFE’s pioneering breakthrough from 2013, when the institute successfully developed farming protocols for Penaeus vannamei in inland saline soils using ionic fortification technology at Sultanpur, Haryana. This effectively converted previously unproductive wastelands into one of India’s most profitable aquaculture belts.

Maharashtra, he said, has 184,089 hectares of saline soils — a resource that remains underutilised but could be strategically unlocked to generate rural employment and export-ready produce. He referenced production patterns from 2014, when India produced 12,448 tonnes of saline-water shrimp, with Haryana contributing 61 percent and Punjab 20 percent. Haryana’s model stands out: by converting 2,079 hectares of salt-affected lands into aquaculture estates, the state demonstrated how policy alignment, farmer training, and scientific adoption can radically shift productivity landscapes.

Recent assessments of soil salinisation in Maharashtra show promising pockets across Amravati and Akola, which exhibit biophysical conditions favourable for Vannamei culture. These districts, traditionally dependent on cotton and rain-fed agriculture, could benefit significantly from saline aquaculture, which offers higher value per acre, lower water consumption relative to crops like sugarcane, and integration opportunities with biofloc and RAS-based systems.

Experts agreed that Vidarbha’s aquaculture future hinges on a triad of scalable science, robust market integration, and institutional handholding. With established demand for prawns in global markets, rising domestic consumption, and strong price dynamics, inland saline aquaculture represents one of the most strategically aligned diversification pathways for the region. As scientific institutions like ICAR-CIFE, state fisheries departments, and local universities converge on a coordinated agenda, Vidarbha has the opportunity to position itself as a major inland aquaculture hub — transforming its saline soils into engines of economic renewal and export-led growth.

— Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com)