ICAR-CIBA, Chennai Co-organised the World Record Event to Promote Domestic Consumption of Farmed Shrimp

India produces about 13.7 lakh tonnes of farmed shrimp but hardly 20% of it is being consumed domestically. Lack of awareness among the common public on the fresh quality of the shrimps produced as well as the health benefits of shrimp could be the major reasons. In this context, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation (TNFDC) the marketing arm of the State Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Tamil Nadu in collaboration with ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA), Chennai and M/s. Katch Fresh, a modern seafood outlet organised a landmark event to promote the domestic consumption of shrimp at the ICAR-CIBA Chennai campus on 25 October 2026. Thiru. A.Srinath, Hon’ble Minister for Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu inaugurated the event and appreciated the organisers for creating awareness among the people on the health benefits of shrimp. Nearly 600 participants, including the public, aquaculture stakeholders, industry representatives and officials participated in the event. The major highlight of the event was the World Record creation in serving the largest quantity of cooked prawn/shrimp at a single venue. The World Record officials witnessed the event and presented the record to the organisers. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. M. Kailasam, Director, ICAR-CIBA, explained the purpose of the event and emphasised the importance of promoting domestic seafood consumption in India. He highlighted the need to create greater consumer awareness about the nutritional value of shrimp and to strengthen the domestic market for Indian aquaculture products. Dr. K.Ambasankar, Principal Scientist and Head, NGBD, explained the health benefits of shrimp and provided guidance on its appropriate consumption. Dr. R. Geetha, Principal Scientist, highlighted India's significant shrimp production and export potential and emphasised the need to expand domestic consumption as an additional market opportunity for shrimp farmers. Dr. P.K. Patil, Principal Scientist and Dr.R.Subburaj, Senior Scientist, ICZAR-CIBA conducted a consumer perception survey on domestic shrimp consumption to understand the consumer preferences and perceptions on fish food during the occasion. ICAR-CIBA distributed Fish as health food pamphlets explaining the nutritional and health benefits of shrimp consumption during the programme. The event was supported by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department, Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA), Royal Marine Hatcheries, and Prawn Farmers Federation of India, bringing together research, government, industry, farmers and consumers under the theme “From Indian Farms to Indian Plates.”