DUMURIA, KHULNA, June 12: Farmers in 14 unions of Dumuria Upazila in the district are set to lose their interest in cultivating shrimp due to lack of protection and security.
Shrimp farmers complained, poison is poured into their enclosures and shrimps are looted. Due to this poison-pouring and looting, shrimp growers see a big threat to this sector.
As shrimp farming is highly profitable, local individuals started making enclosures and cultivating shrimp in these unions. Landless people took lease of land and invested in shrimp farming. Gradually they become self-reliant. But a number of unscrupulous people have started pouring poison in enclosures and looted shrimp. Such incidents are on the rise. That is why enclosure owners, mostly the small ones, are worried.
In the rainy season, along with shrimp and fresh water fish, IRRI-Boro paddy is also cultivated. After meeting their own demands, surplus fish and paddy are sold. But this extra earning facility is no longer available. In 2021 flood floated away many enclosures, causing irrecoverable damages to the owners.
A teacher Sheikh Jahtab Hossain of Tipna Village at Khornia Union said, "Miscreants poured poison in my enclosure at night and looted away my shrimps."
Enclosure owners of the village Nurul Islam, Sheikh Nazrul Islam and Sheikh Nazmul said, "We have invested lakhs of Taka in our shrimp enclosures. Fingerling purchase and feed increased our total cost. But miscreants have destroyed us by applying poison."
Many farmers sold their lands for refunding advance money from Mahajans. Now they are shifting to fresh fish farming. While talking with this correspondent of The Daily Observer, a number of victim farmers said, they can't lift their cost by selling shrimps after being looted with poison.
According to Upazila Fisheries Office, earlier, there were 7,000 shrimp enclosures on 25,000 hectares of land in the upazila. But now enclosures have decreased to 4,500. Fresh water fishes are cultivated in 2,500 enclosures. Besides, many enclosures are lying abandoned.
Senior Fisheries Officer Sohel Md Zillur Rahman Regan said, "We provide training and advice about shrimp cultivation. Poison throwing and fish lifting are occurring frequently. All farmers will have to remain cautious."
