Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-06-27

Allocation of lands required by the Thai Lanka Aqua (Private) Company for Pacific White Marine Shrimp Farming

- Tiger Shrimp farming is undertaken over an extent of around 10,000 acres of land making the Puttalam District as the centre of Sri Lanka and the annual total production is around 6030 MT. Out of this production about 2500 MT are exported deriving an annual revenue of US$ 16 million. Due to being subject to the white spot disease resulting in the lack of export quality standards the industry has turned out to be an under‑performing activity and as such, it has been proposed to introduce White Shrimp Farming for a rapid increase of Marine Shrimp to the country which shows resistance to white spot disease and as there is a high demand for same in the Global Market. The project proposal submitted by the Thai Lanka Aqua (Private) Ltd. to implement a White Pacific Shrimp Farming Project alongside the proposed Aquaculture Industrial Park in the Manthai - West Divisional Secretariat Division of the Mannar District has been recommended by the Project Committee of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, to give over a land of 250 acres to the Thai Lanka Aqua (Private) Ltd. close to the land identified to develop as an Aqua Industrial Park in the Manthai - West Divisional Secretariat Division, on lease basis, for a period of 30 years, was approved by the Cabinet.