With A Push By Wilfred D’sa, Aqua Culture & Crab Farming Picks Up In Nuvem

Margao, Goa: With a strong push from the local lawmaker Wilfred D’sa, crab culture and crab farming along with other aquaculture activities like mussel and shrimp farming has picked up in a big way in Nuvem, with more and more locals opting for the otherwise lucrative business.

‘Kurlio’ or Crab is a highly priced, much sort-after dish at restaurants along the coastal belt and is a big hit with tourists, including foreigners who relish the baked crab, butter and pepper crab.

Among domestic tourists the tandoori crab is most popular and is a highly priced item on the menus of most seafood restaurants in Goa.

Crab is an all time favourite among Goans and domestic tourists as well and undoubtedly one of Goa’s flagship seafood platters is incomplete without the crab.

Among Goans the lip smacking ‘Crab Xacuti’, ‘Crab Xec-Xec’ and stuffed crab are relished dishes.

It’s business potential is immense and along with shrimps and mussels is the “renewable hidden gold” provided to Goans by nature, which has been overlooked for decades.

Unfortunately, Goans are after quick money be it in tourism or mining – both sectors which have been overexploited and have now left thousands of locals in the doldrums with dead investments.

Spearheading a new revolution: MLA Wilfred D’sa with farmers at Nuvem

Goa is gifted with 101 km of coastline is planning to harness the coast as well as its main rivers; Mandovi, Zuari, Terekhol, Chapora, Kushavati and the Sal whose backwaters and brackish waters are the ultimate breeding ground for crab, shrimp and mussel farming.

However, the high initial investment was a damper for most locals willing to take up crab farming in their villages.

Besides the high cost of labour and the anti-migrants activism by some groups in the coastal state had made crab farming very expensive and not competitive enough when compared to say Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra and in Kerala, says Netta D’souza, a resident of Nuvem who is keen on starting crab culture in the area.

Obtaining permissions from local bodies is another headache in Goa and even if they get permissions, local activists play spoilsport, said a spokesperson for Goemcho Goenkar, adding that coastal land that is most suitable for crab farming is owned by communidades and obtaining permission from them is a nightmare as activists start objecting and protesting even before an entrepreneur can start his business.

Sensing the reluctance of locals, MLA Wilfred D’sa and volunteers of Goemcho Goenkar have taken up the task of educating Goans on the long-term benefits of crab, shrimp and mussel farming.

Two crab farms will be a reality soon in Nuvem with the support of D’sa who is determined to make his constituency fully self-sufficient in farm produce, vegetables, fruits and seafood.

Goemcho Goenkar is providing support and assistance for home horticulture, organic kitchen farming, shrimp, mussel and fresh water fish farming, crab culture, aquaculture and strawberry farming in Goa. If you are interested please send your details and more about yourself on email to goemcho.goenkar AT gmail.com

D’sa has provided farmers in Nuvem with tractors and other implements and is strongly advocating home farming in every household in his constituency.

Crablets or crab seeds are also being made available to those interested in taking up the activity in Nuvem, after training.

Another location shortlisted for crab farming is ponds and water bodies in Curchorem, said Sheetal Naik of Goemcho Goenkar. We identifying another breed or species of crab that can be grown in smaller areas in fresh water, she said.

Goemcho Goenkar is sourcing crab seeds or crablets from the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) hatchery in Tamil Nadu which mass produces seeds and is one of the few mud hatcheries in the world.

The scylla oceanica species of mud crabs are preferred as this variety of crab grows to a maximum size of 1.5 kg and will not cause any damage to bunds or fencing arrangements in the culture system. The average weight of this crab varies from 500 gms to 900 gms, which is the ideal size for local sale.

The cost works out to Rs 3-4 per seed and each seed can generate Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 after the nine month period of harvesting. Another variety of crab can grow quicker, but requires a specialized, artificial environment, which is expensive to set up, says Flynn Remedios of Goemcho Goenkar.

Besides, the scylla oceanica species of crab can be harvested in estuaries, backwaters and coastal areas as well as artificially created ponds or trenches. They can survive easily on fish surplus, fish waste or rough fish for feed, which is not very expensive and easily available in the State.

Goemcho Goenkar is conducting seminars and training programmes across the state on crab, mussel, shrimp and fresh water fish farming, along with kitchen farming and home horticulture.

The first seminar was held on Sunday at Ponda. Margao, Shiroda (Bethoda), Curchorem and St Cruz in North Goa are next on the list. Those interested in crab, shrimp, mussel and fresh water fish farming can contact Goemcho Goenkar on goemcho.goenkar AT gmail.com.