Photo: BSS

By S M Zahid Hossain

KHULNA, June 29, 2025 (BSS)- Shrimp farmers of Khulna are leaning over cluster method of shrimp cultivation as the process, began few years back, helped them making their production almost double.

Impacts of climate change, diseases and other barriers including salinity in soil have devastated shrimp farmers in Khulna in recent years causing huge loss which they have never encountered before.

The new cluster method was developed several years ago by the Department of Fisheries through which farmers are looking forward to recouping from the disasters.

To develop this method, the government has provided financial support of Taka 102.60 crore to shrimp farmers in five coastal districts under ‘Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project.

According to the Department of Fisheries (DoF) the a total of to 7,402 farmers in 297 clusters, each cluster comprising 23 to 25 bighas of shrimp gher (enclosure), got the support under the project.

The seven-year project undertaken in 2018, started shrimp cultivation in cluster method in 25 upazilas under Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jashore and Gopalganj.
Deputy Director of the project Abdullah Al Mamun said cluster method of shrimp cultivation is an effective one, which increased the production about 40 to 50 percent.

Farmers can get suitable and desired size of shrimp within four months through cluster-method cultivation, he said, adding that the production system is contributing to change the agro-economic condition of the coastal districts.

DoF is playing a crucial role in organizing the farmers and show them the ways of new possibilities. As many as 300 clusters of farmers, each with 25 enclosures, are now working under the project. With each enclosure 33 to 150 decimals of land, the area of total shrimp cultivation now stands about 2,500 hectares. 

Under the project, the farmers including 1622 women, were given technical training on shrimp farming techniques, resulting in increasing production and reduce shrimp mortality.

DD Mamun said the method not only boosted shrimp production but also played a crucial role in poverty alleviation and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Shrimp farmers in the coastal belt demanded for second phase of this project as they get huge benefits from the first phase.

Mamun said the fisheries ministry would consider the farmer's demand though the project is dependent on the World Bank’s financial support.

Former president of Tipna New Road Prawn Cultivation Cluster in Dumuria of Khulna Sheikh Mahtab Hossain said, Fisheries Department’s advice on shrimp cultivation were very beneficial for farmers. 

Animesh Kumar, general secretary of cluster method shrimp cultivation of Kharia in Koyra upazila said, he is involved with the shrimp farming for the last 23 years. The farmers, who followed the traditional method, could not yield production at their desired level, he said.

Senior fishery officer of Koyra upazila Sameer Kumar Biswas said the government provided support to those farmers who could meet the requirements for shrimp farming.