Punjab’s shrimp farming push: Why, and what are the farmers’ demands?

Context

• Punjab is set to see its first state-level ‘shrimp mela’ (shrimp fair). While shrimp farming began in the state in 2016-17, the mela is a state government push to create more awareness about it.

About:

• Shrimp farming is an aquaculture-based activity in marine or freshwater environments to produce shrimp for human consumption.
• South-west Punjab has saline underground water not fit for agriculture.
• Also, waterlogging is a perennial issue in this belt.
• Therefore, shrimp farming was proposed as a solution for farmers whose land was lying unutilised.