WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2026 43 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 44) heavy inputs of feed and energy, leaving a significant environmental footprint. In contrast, native species like Penaeus monodon (black tiger shrimp — Figure 2) and Fenneropenaeus indicus (Indian white shrimp) tell a different story. Therefore, a more resilient model is worth considering. What if Indian aquaculture embraced a ‘slow living’ philosophy? If policy and industry incentives shifted away from a fast-yield exotic and towards these resilient native species, India could build a more diversified and balanced portfolio. Take P. monodon. Under medium-intensity culture (Figure 3), production costs average $3.82 per kg, yielding annual net returns of about $20,345 per hectare (Nisar et al., 2021). Despite these advantages, monodon accounts for just 8% of India’s shrimp production, while vannamei dominates with over 80% (Rubel et al., 2020). This imbalance reflects a policy and market psychology that prioritizes short-term volume over long-term value and resilience. Vannamei’s promise of fast growth and high profits captivated farmers and policymakers. However, this promise is high-risk. It has created a system that encourages rapid cycles and could traps farmers in debt. This has sidelined more sustainable species like P. monodon, despite their compelling economic and ecological advantages. This psychology becomes even clearer when examining the case of Fenneropenaeus indicus (Indian white shrimp), which tells a powerful story of resilience. In Tamil Nadu’s improved extensive systems, it can break even at a remarkably low ₹88 per kg (approximately $1.05) and still deliver respectable profits (Sathiadhas et al., 2009). While trials, such as those in Egypt, show vannamei outpaces indicus in pure growth speed, this supposed advantage collapses once input costs are factored in (Kasem et al., 2021). For a farmer, the return on investment is what matters. F. indicus may sell for a lower price, but its relatively lower production costs can deliver a better return than vannamei. What Comes After Vannamei? For over a decade, policymakers celebrated rising export graphs. But they failed to ask the hard questions: Why does the world’s second-largest shrimp producer have no domestic market? Why have we let foreign buyers control our branding? And why is there no safety net for farmers when prices collapse? To build resilience, India must now move beyond a one-species, one-market model. Global demand already exists for what India can produce. Consider the opportunity in mud crab (Scylla spp.). China, the world’s largest producer, harvests over 120,000 tonnes annually yet still must import tens of thousands of tonnes to meet its domestic consumption, currently exceeding 150,000 tonnes (Lovatelli et al., 2025). This demonstrates a proven market in East Asia that India’s largely untapped mud crab resources could help supply. Mud crab producing countries worldwide are moving into Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). At Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), we are developing one of the world’s largest mud crab rearing facilities, built with cost-effective, biologically aligned RAS solutions with a vision to position mud crab as India’s next billion-dollar aquaculture asset (Figure 4). Beyond crustaceans, there is also potential in fish. Indian major carps (rohu, catla, mrigal), which already form the backbone of domestic aquaculture at over 4 million tonnes annually, have a growing niche in ethnic markets across Europe and the Middle East. Finally, niche species offer a path to premium branding. Native varieties like Kerala’s pearlspot (Etroplus suratensis) could be transformed into a high-value, branded export for global retail, similar to the success of other regional specialty foods. Correcting this situation requires a new strategy for Indian aquaculture. The focus must change from producing the most to producing the smartest. This plan shows the way: 1. Subsidize the Switch to Resilient Species Redirect government support to hatcheries and farmers for native species like disease-tolerant black tiger shrimp (P. monodon) and cost-efficient Indian white shrimp (F. indicus). Provide insurance and risk-sharing mechanisms to make this transition financially viable for farmers. 2. Build a Domestic Market as a Buffer Address broken logistics by investing in cold storage and transportation chains that link farms to urban centers. Crucially, FIGURE 2. Penaeus monodon harvest. Photo by Pradeep Kumar. FIGURE 3. Medium-intensity culture of black tiger shrimp. Photo by Pradeep Kumar.
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