The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) is ready to transfer technology for setting up mud crab hatcheries in coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and other states for production and export of the seafood delicacy in global markets, especially in Southeast Asia, according to local news. 

MPEDA-RGCA’s mud crab hatchery technology was granted a patent by the Controller General of Patent, Design and Trade Marks, till 2030. “Mud crab is a potential candidate species for commercial level aquaculture. We are promoting it as a targeted fishery with high price value,” K. S. Srinivas, Chairman, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and president of RGCA, said. “We are also providing crab-instars (baby crab) to the farmers at just the production cost, as an incentive for mud crab farming in a big way. Significantly, it has huge potential to diversify the brackishwater aquaculture as mud crab farming is the best option in defunct shrimp farms,” Srinivas said.

As MPEDA’s Aquaculture Technology Incubation Centre headquartered in Mayiladuthurai, RGCA is currently producing 1.4 million seeds of mud crab per annum for supply to farmers in various states. “We have taken initiatives with the Central government’s National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) to provide financial assistance to entrepreneurs for setting up mud crab hatcheries in India,” the MPEDA chairman said.