Shrimp-raising injects new momentum into village in Wudang

The South American white shrimp is raised in Wudang district. [Photo/WeChat account of Wudang district]

At the end of March this year, a batch of South American white shrimp juveniles were released into the aquaculture ponds in Pingba village in Yangchang town, Wudang district, Guiyang. It is expected to have a bumper harvest by the end of June.

When it comes to seafood, many people think of coastal cities, as if seafood can only come from the coast. So how does Wudang do it?

Li Shengqiang, the person in charge of Guizhou Qifan Agricultural Science and Technology Co, learned that South American white shrimp features thin shells, rich bodies, and delicious meat, becoming a new favorite on dining tables.

However, for inland areas like Guiyang, shrimp are usually bought from coastal cities. Due to the long distance, high transportation costs, and low survival rates, the prices remain high. Seizing the opportunity, Li formed a team and led them to coastal areas to investigate. They purchased shrimp juveniles from Hainan province and transferred them to the inland for aquaculture.

Unlike the traditional shrimp pond aquaculture, these shrimps are raised in ponds located in greenhouses in Pingba village. Utilizing the "land-based aquaculture" model, they eschew traditional bacteria and algae, opting instead for clear water cultivation. The water temperature is controlled between 25 C and 28 C throughout the year to minimize human intervention as much as possible.

In 2023, production stabilized, and mass production commenced with the introduction of 1 million shrimp juveniles. The annual output reached 18,500 kilograms, with a production value of 1.30 million yuan ($178,839.50).

The successful operation has led to the company's business growth in other regions such as Qingzhen city, Xiuwen county and Panzhou city.