Along India’s eastern coastline in late January, the small coastal communities of Odisha are busy with preparations for the upcoming shrimp farming season. I recently interviewed around 625 shrimp farmers across five districts in the state, gaining insights into their practices, the challenges they face, and their strategies for survival. The conversations revealed a world of perseverance, resilience, and constant adaptation—a world shaped by factors beyond just the tides and seasons.

In this blog, I attempt to weave together the realities of shrimp farming in Odisha, blending empirical observations with critical analysis, to not only highlight the struggles of shrimp farmers but also to explore possible solutions that can ease the burden on these hardworking growers.

The grueling rhythm of a shrimp season

A typical shrimp-farming season in Odisha lasts between 100–120 days, with most farmers cultivating twice a year—from February to May and June/July to September/October. Yet, despite the relatively short cultivation window, preparations begin well in advance. Farmers meticulously treat their ponds with anti-bacterial chemicals, clean water pipes, and ensure that biosecurity measures like overhead nets and fencing are in place. The process is labor-intensive, requiring both precision and care, as even a small misstep can lead to crop failure.

Once the ponds are ready and filled with a balanced mix of salt and freshwater, the focus shifts to procuring shrimp post-larvae, or “seeds.” Often, farmers travel up to 650 kilometers to neighboring states to secure high-quality seeds, highlighting the fragmented nature of local supply chains. This reliance on distant hatcheries not only adds to farmers’ costs but also exposes them to risks associated with poor seed quality and diseases like early mortality syndrome.

The daily grind of monitoring and maintenance

Once stocked, the shrimp ponds become a site of relentless activity. Feeding schedules are strict—typically four times a day at 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. To maintain an optimal environment for the shrimp, farmers vigilantly monitor water quality by testing its pH, removing excess plankton, and periodically mixing saltwater with freshwater.

Ponds must be aerated to ensure that the shrimp have enough oxygen to survive. (Photo by Lloyd Vas/Shutterstock)

Most farmers in our sample refrain from feeding at night (8 p.m.–5 a.m.), but that doesn’t equate to restful nights. Instead, they use this time to operate aerators, ensuring adequate oxygen levels in the ponds. Ranjan (name changed), a veteran shrimp farmer from Balasore with 40 years of experience, explained that even on “good” days when no disease outbreaks occur, he barely manages 3–4 hours of sleep. He estimates that such good days constitute only about 40 percent of the season, with most occurring in the initial stages before disease pressures intensify. Dulal, a small farmer from Puri, shared how he had to forgo using aerators entirely due to rising diesel costs, resorting instead to manually aerating the pond by walking through it with a paddle-like device for hours each night. These kinds of situations not only put a strain on the farmer but also increase the probability of diseases among the shrimp.

The constant battle against disease

One of the most challenging aspects of shrimp farming is the unpredictability of diseases like white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and molting issues. These diseases can spread rapidly, significantly affecting shrimp size or leading to large-scale mortality. The anxiety over disease outbreaks is palpable, especially as farmers approach the latter part of the season, when the stakes are highest.

Suraj (name changed), who manages three ponds spanning 3.5 acres, described how he patrols his pools with a torch each night, looking out for shrimp floating lifelessly on the surface. Without the resources to hire night guards, he makes do with a small makeshift hut near his ponds, catching whatever sleep he can between rounds of inspection. For larger-scale farmers like Ajay, who manages 25 acres in Bhadrak, the challenges are amplified. He employs two nightwatchmen to assist him, but the fickle electricity supply often means a sudden scramble to switch his aerators to diesel generators to prevent oxygen depletion.

The costs of disease management and nightly vigilance

For shrimp farmers, catching the early signs of disease is paramount to protecting their crop. Once the first signs of distress appear, it’s a race against time. Immediate calls are made to input dealers, who are often shrimp farmers themselves, for advice on medication. This exchange can take place as early as 3 a.m., with photos of the diseased shrimp sent via messaging apps for remote diagnosis.

The economic toll of disease outbreaks can be devastating. Farmers often face significant losses due to early harvests, reduced shrimp sizes, or even complete stock mortality. When disease strikes, the decision to harvest prematurely means forfeiting potential gains from larger, more valuable shrimp, while delaying harvest risks further losses if the disease continues to spread. The result is a delicate balancing act where farmers are caught between salvaging what they can and watching their hard work slip away, all while market prices remain unpredictable.

Diversifying to survive

To mitigate risks of poor yields and market conditions, farmers like Kishan in Puri district have diversified their stock. In addition to the popular vannamei shrimp, they rear other varieties such as baghda, golda, and monodon, and sometimes even include crabs or scampi. This strategy is not just about managing risk but also taking advantage of varying market demands and disease susceptibilities.

However, diversification has its own set of challenges. It requires additional knowledge, resources, and labor to manage multiple species with different feeding schedules and water quality needs. Moreover, the market for these alternative species can be volatile, making it a risky venture for smaller farmers.

Playing the harvest lottery

A shrimp farmer working in the field. (Photo by Shree Saha/TCI)

Harvesting is rarely a one-time event. Many farmers harvest in multiple rounds to maximize shrimp size, as prices are directly tied to shrimp size. But deciding when to harvest is a strategic decision; waiting too long can risk losing the crop to disease, while harvesting early may result in lower prices due to smaller size.

While most farmers sell their harvest to procuring companies, some, like Suraj, opt to sell part of their catch directly at local markets in Bhubaneshwar. By harvesting at night or in the early morning, they can transport fresh shrimp, hoping to secure higher prices. Yet, this adds another layer of complexity and labor to an already exhausting season.

Economic and social implications

Despite the grueling demands, the shrimp farmers of Odisha continue year after year, driven by the hope of profitable yields. As Raja, a farmer with nearly 40 years of experience, put it: “The time and effort don’t matter if the yield is good, and market rates are high.”

But the reality is that this hope is often tinged with anxiety over mounting debts, erratic market prices, and the unpredictability of disease outbreaks.

Is there a way to ease this burden? Could technological interventions such as automated aerators, real-time disease monitoring apps, or solar-powered pumps help? Would community cooperatives or better access to credit reduce farmers’ financial vulnerabilities?

Policy and technological solutions: the way forward

Given the challenges, there’s a clear need for targeted policy support. Possible interventions include:

• Subsidized solar-powered aerators to reduce dependency on diesel and electricity;
• Disease management training programs and access to mobile diagnostic services for early detection;
• Strengthening market linkages to ensure fair prices, especially for smaller farmers who rely on local sales; and
• Encouraging cooperatives where farmers can pool resources for bulk purchase inputs and share labor costs for nighttime monitoring.

Additionally, promoting research into disease-resistant shrimp varieties and incentivizing hatcheries closer to farming regions could reduce input costs and enhance disease management.

A call for sustainable interventions

Shrimp farming in Odisha is a testament to human resilience. But to sustain this industry, we need to explore ways to ease the relentless burdens faced by farmers. Whether through technological innovations, better market access, or supportive policy frameworks, the future of shrimp farming in Odisha hinges on collaborative efforts.

Can we envision a future where shrimp farmers are no longer losing sleep over diseases and debts? The answer lies in bridging the gap between traditional practices and modern solutions, ensuring that the communities who nourish our plates are themselves supported, both economically and socially.

Shree Saha is a TCI scholar and a PhD student in the field of applied economics and management at Cornell University.

Featured image: A shrimp farmer dumps a netful of shrimp into a bucket. (Photo by Nirapai Boonpheng/Shutterstock)