Photo : BSS

By S M Zahid Hossain

KHULNA, Nov 3, 2025 (BSS) - Adopting modern shrimp farming methods has changed the fortune of young farmer Maruf Sardar, 30, of Keoratala village under Rudaghara Union in Dumuria upazila of Khulna district.

Once struggling to earn a living from traditional fish cultivation, Maruf is now considered a model farmer in the area for his outstanding success in galda (freshwater prawn) farming using symbiotic technology.

From his 120-decimal pond, he harvested around 850 kilograms of galda shrimp this season - achieving a production rate of over seven kilograms per decimal. He earned about Taka 12.75 lakh from galda sales at Taka 1,500 per kilogram and an additional Taka 70,000 from white fish cultivated alongside.

While most farmers in the area produce three to four kilograms of galda per decimal, Maruf's productivity has set a new benchmark.

In the beginning, Maruf had little knowledge about shrimp cultivation, and his pond often flooded during the rainy season, leading to poor yields. His fortunes began to improve after he received technical support and training from the Department of Fisheries, Khulna, and adopted improved traditional and symbiotic farming methods.

He deepened his pond to about five feet, strengthened its banks, and installed net enclosures to ensure proper water retention and fish safety. He also applies lime, probiotics, and prebiotics regularly to maintain water quality and uses high-quality feed and post-larvae under the supervision of fisheries officials.

Talking to BSS, Maruf said, "I did not know how to properly manage a pond before. By following the guidelines of the fisheries office-regular water testing, maintaining depth, using good quality post-larvae and feed-I've been able to achieve this success."

Maruf, who supports a family of 11 members including his wife and two children, started fish farming a decade ago but initially faced losses. After receiving training on cluster-based galda shrimp farming two and a half years ago, he switched to symbiotic technology and has since earned around Taka 15-18 lakh annually after expenses.

Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Sohel Md Zillur Rahman Rigan told BSS that Maruf is a hardworking and proactive farmer. "He has completed two training courses this year and his success has inspired many others in the area," he said.

Maruf's pond has now become a model site for local fish farmers, motivating at least 25 other educated youths in Dumuria upazila to take up galda shrimp farming and become self-reliant.

Assistant Professor Dr Asaduzzaman Manik of Khulna Agricultural University said that the use of symbiotic technology-combining probiotics and prebiotics-has significantly increased shrimp production in the coastal belt.

"Farmers can now produce 800-850 kilograms of shrimp using symbiotic technology, compared to 400-450 kilograms under the traditional method from 3.65 bighas of land," he said.

The technology, developed through research conducted jointly with Professor Dr Sayed Hafizur Rahman of Jahangirnagar University, helps enhance shrimp yields and prevent disease by combating the effects of climate change.