ICAR-CIBA Develops Breakthrough Technology for Blue Swimmer Crab Farming

Key facts

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) has successfully reared and harvested Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus reticulatus) for the first time in India.
• The developed technology package includes advanced hatchery seed production protocols and a specialised formulated feed branded as BSCrabPlus.
• In a demonstration trial, the crabs were cultured for 105 days, achieving a productivity of 1,100 kg per hectare with an average body weight of 150 grams.
• The harvested crabs fetched a market price of ₹500 per kilogram, and revenue of ₹1,22,500 was distributed to the Success Self-Help Group in Chengalpattu district.
• The demonstration was conducted under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) programme, with technology transfer facilitated by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) under the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).