ICAR-CIBA has developed cost effective and quality feed shrimp feed using indigenous feed ingredients for vannamei farming, and the feed is promoted as the ‘Vannami plus’. The technology is being transferred to series of private entrepreneurs for up scaling and commercial production on a non-exclusive basis. As a new addition to the list, on 4th May 2017, ICAR-CIBA signed the MoU for the 4th time for the Vannami plus with Mr. E. Sudhakar, Sri Sathvika Aqua Agro Industries Private Limited at SY.NO.11/5, karavadi(village), Ongole(Mandal), Prakasam District, AP. Mr. E. Sudhakar is a Software professional and has four years of aquaculture experience, and has been impressed upon the advantageous of shrimp farming during his interaction with CIBA under ARYA programme of ICAR. The company envisaged to use ‘Vannami plus’ of CIBA in their own farms and also to supply the small and medium-size farmers in their close locality which is expected to have impact on the local farming community around Ongloe in AP, by reducing the cost of production of shrimp this MoU event was presided by Dr. K.K. Vijayan, Director, ICAR-CIBA. On his opening remarks Dr. K.K. Vijayan, indicated the effectiveness of Vannami plus in bringing down the cost of shrimp production and increasing the profitability of shrimp farming. He also highlighted that Mr. Sudhakar, being a software professional and showing keen interest in this agri-business initiative would set an example for more youth to come under the Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA) programme in the future. Further he emphasized the risk factor to be considered in the new venture and emphasized the entrepreneur to become a successful model. Dr. K. Ambasankar Principal Scientist and team leader for the nutrition and Feed development program of CIBA briefed about the significance of this MoU and highlighted that the success of this model would pave the way for many youngsters to enter in agribusiness. Earlier in this event, Dr. P.K. Patil Senior Scientist and CO-PI, ITMU-ABI Unit welcomed the clients and introduced them to the audience. All the HODs, Scientists from Nutrition group, and team from Sri Sathvika Aqua Agro Industries Private Limited, along with the family of Mr. Sudhakar, attended the meeting.
