Chilaw prawn farmers benefit by electricity project

Primary Industries and Social Empowerment Minister Daya Gamage opening the electricity project. Also pictured: Ambassador of the Royal Thai Embassy Chulamanee Chartsuwan and MPs Palitha Range Bandara, Shantha Abeysekara, and Hector Appuhamy

Minister Daya Gamage visited prawn farms in the Pinkattiya, Chilaw area and identified the issues faced by the small- and medium-scale prawn’ farmers. Farmers in this area have faced many difficulties due to a lack of electricity for their production processes for over 30 years, and have spent excessive amounts of money on kerosene oil for generators, which increased production costs drastically. Minister Gamage promised to supply electricity from the Ministry of Primary Industries, after discussions held with small and medium-scale prawn farmers in mid-2018. The transfer of the electricity project to the people was held on 7 February in the Pinkattiya area. 

Some prawn farmers have abandoned the ponds due to lack of electricity and other infrastructure. However, those lands can be reclaimed for prawn farming practices after the establishment of an electricity supply in this area. More than 300 farmer families in this area will benefit though this project.

The Ministry of Primary Industries began this project in mid-2018, spending Rs. 28.8 million to set up seven transformers in the area. Currently production in this area is 400 Mt of prawn which can be increased to 1200 Mt after providing electricity for the ponds. Shrimp is the world’s most-consumed seafood commodity, with rising demand in the domestic and international market specifically for Sri Lankan black tiger prawns, which is the only farmed brackish water shrimp culture in Sri Lanka, due to its delicate flavour. The export of the prawns will be increased due to the increase in local production. 

The world’s shrimp production is growing rapidly, and this growth is part of a larger trend of increases in world aquaculture, but countries like Sri Lanka still struggle with white spot disease for the last twenty years, as well as many other bacterial, fungal and viral deceases. The new electricity supply, along with the best management practices, will help eradicate the white spot disease in Sri Lanka. Hence, this project will support livelihood development in this area, as well generate more export revenue to the country. 

We are thankful to Minister Daya Gamage for the support given to the people of this area to develop the local production and expand revenue generation through exports from the aquaculture industry in Sri Lanka.

Electricity supply to prawn farmers in Pinkattiya, Chilaw