Bhubaneswar/Baleshwar: Successive floods in the state have caused significant damage to shrimp farming, leaving many smallholder farmers in districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, Baleshwar facing losses just weeks before harvest.
The swelling of the Budhabalanga River in late July, followed by flooding in the Baitarani and Brahmani river systems in mid-August, inundated thousands of hectares of shrimp ponds in several coastal areas.
Standing shrimp crops were washed away or damaged, while many farmers were forced to sell undersized shrimps at lower price to minimise their loss. The floods also affected the homes and livelihoods of farming families, with several villages remaining submerged for days.
The situation has added to the financial pressure on farmers who had already invested heavily in pond preparation, seed and feed.
Several NGOS including Aquapulse, a Bhubaneswar-based shrimp aquaculture and seafood export company, has also launched a relief drive for affected farming families.
