Crab farming is an emerging business in India. Today we will tell the story of one such successful farmer, Mayur Jagdale, who lives in a small village in Sangli district of Maharashtra. He adopted crab farming instead of traditional farming and is earning lakhs.
Inspiration from the Internet
Mayur found out that there is a huge market demand for crabs which are naturally found in rivers and ponds. Then he searched on the Internet and found out that the black mud crab (Scylla serrata) farming technique was first started in Tamil Nadu in 1984, and its research station is also there. He came to know that black mud crab farming is possible; it can be started in less space and at low cost.
Big profit in small tank!
Mayur constructed a tank of 25×25 feet on the land near his house, the width of which was kept at 6.5 feet. He prepared it with several layers to give a natural look to the crab:
- First layer: Use of small stones;
- Second layer: Use of black soil;
- Third layer: Use of Murup soil;
- Fourth layer: Use of red soil;
- Fifth layer: river sand;
- Sixth layer: Use of black stones where the crab can hide.
Apart from this, to prevent the crabs from coming out of the tank, he fixed tiles on the walls and covered it with a net to protect it from birds.
From oxygen supply to coolness
He set up an oxygen supplier to generate oxygen in the tank, used a fogger system for a cool environment in summers and planned water drainage to maintain the quality of water.
Low cost, high profit
Mayur says that the cost of setting up this entire setup was around 2 to 2.5 lakhs, which is called “one-time investment”. The labour cost in this farming is negligible. He manages his farm himself and gives feeding only twice a week.
Better growth with the right diet!
Mayur ji feeds boiled waste chicken and fish to the crabs so that the problem of infection is reduced and the water does not smell. The amount of ammonia increases from the excreta of the crab, due to which the crab starts dying. To avoid this problem, Mayur drains the water twice a week and uses a fogger system to maintain oxygen.
Identification and life cycle of crab!
Mayur puts 80 kg of female crabs and 20 kg of male crabs in his tank, which grows to 3.5 to 4 tonnes of crabs in 5 to 6 months. He said that a crab lays 500-600 seeds per female crab.
The life cycle of every male crab is 3 years, and that of a female crab is 2 to 2.5 years. The stomach of a male is in an A-shape, and the stomach of a female is in a U-shape.
Huge demand in the market, high price!
Mayur says that he gets more profit by selling it in the months of January to February; at this time there is a shortage of crabs in the market. In the local market of Sangli, its price goes up to Rs 250 to 300 per kg, while in other big cities like Pune and Mumbai, it goes up to Rs 500 per kg. He produces about 3.5 tonnes to 4 tonnes of crab in a season and earns more than 7.5 lakhs in a season.
The journey started from the village and became an example for millions!
This journey of Mayur Jagdale is an inspiration for farmers and youth. Crab farming is a low-cost and high-profit business. New hopes can be discovered by combining innovation and modern techniques in our agricultural fields.
