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A study conducted in 2002 by VDS Belgium , based on its local shrimp feed production and pond management experience. Shrimp feed production is done according to the " Crustocean " standard, in Iran, as developed by VDS Belgium.
Iranian farmed raised shrimp production is utterly export oriented. The main shrimp farming species in Iran is Penaeus indicus but some few ponds are stocked with other shrimp species like P. monodon or P. semisulcatus which are all endemic species to Iranian coastal waters. 
There are about 3600 ha of shrimp
ponds in Iran and shrimp farms are located in Khuzistan, Busherhistan,
Hormuzgan and Balochistan. Khuzistan. Shrimp farm units are usually of 20 ha
and composed of 1 ha ponds.The most important shrimp farming province is still
located in Busherhistan with a shrimp pond surface totalising 1200 ha.
Shrimp farming in Iran is
characterized by high pond water salinity and temperatures. Very high salinity
(up to 60 ppt) can be observed during the first month of rearing when pond
water exchange is low. Pond water
temperatures are fluctuating between 30 and 35°C during the hottest months
(from July to mid September) and in certain areas like Hormuzgan province pond
water temperatures can reach 40°C during several days. Stocking density is
averaging 25 PL’s/m2 and yield is averaging 2MT/ha.Only one crop per year is achieved in Provinces located along the Persian Gulf due to low temperatures encountered between October and April. However, two crops per year can be achieved in Balochistan where shrimp farming conditions are better in terms of pond water salinity and temperature most of the year excepted during January and February. Total farm raised shrimp production was about 7000 MT in 2001 and about 6000MT of shrimps should have been harvested in 2002.
“White Spot” disease outbreaks occurred this year in Khuzistan and all the ponds were chlorinated before being drained out in order to control the spread of the disease. Nevertheless, this decrease in the production was mainly due because less ponds were stocked in 2002 and the productivity is actually increasing each year (from 500 kg/ha in 1993 to more than 2MT/ha in 2002) due to better management practices and also due to availability of shrimp feeds produced locally and adapted to these particular rearing conditions.  Although
little quantities of feed were imported, the bulk of the feeds used, was
produced locally by 4 companies. Havorrash Co. has about 60 % of the market.
VDS Crustocean Feeds is the technical
consultant for shrimp feeds produced by Havorrash Co since 2002, and has
the responsibility for production management, formulation, supplying essential
ingredients such as Vitamin/trace minerales concentrates, and quality control.
Special high salinity feeds were designed
and this has resulted in a higher growth rate and bigger harvest size. Shrimp
continued feeding and growing at 1 g per week, even at more than 55 ppt
salinity and temperatures above 35°C. Results obtained with Crustocean Havorrash feeds: Here below are shown the mean results (Average Body Weight at harvest (ABW), growth rate, FCR) obtained with ponds fed with Havorash feeds and an other Iranian shrimp feed brand during teh 2002 season. These ponds were located at the same area in Busherhistan and these ponds were managed by the same shrimp farming specialist.
These results show that using Crustocean
Havorrash feeds give better results in terms of growth rate and in terms
of survival rate. Consequently shrimp farmers can harvest bigger size animals
in shorter culture period, and increase their yields and the profitability of
their shrimp farming operations. |
