Charoen Pokphand Foods Public : Shrimp farmers in Trang province applies CPF’s “3 Clean” principles for sustainable success

Trang Aquaculture Cooperative has inked a memorandum of understanding on a pact to promote large-scale white shrimp farming, binding Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) to transfer techniques under its '3 Clean' principles which helped Kung Kraben Fisheries Cooperative in Chanthaburi province sustainably tackle shrimp diseases and boost output by 3-4 folds.

Mr. Supon Tansuwan, director of the Fisheries Department's Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Division, said that the MoU between Trang Aquaculture Cooperative, the government sector and private companies like CPF is aimed at ensuring sustainability among small shrimp farmers in Trang province - who combine resources and operate as a big group - in terms of output, marketing, community and environment. Under the MoU, CPF's advanced knowledge and farming technology can help boost shrimp farming efficiency, reduce the cost of production, increase output and ensure high-quality and contamination-free products that are in demand. Meanwhile, through its environmental-friendly farming system, CPF will better equip farmers with knowledge to cope with changes and long-term competition.

Mr. Anant Jaranayothin, president of Trang Aquaculture Cooperative, earlier witnessed how Kung Kraben Fisheries Cooperative in Chanthaburi province successfully applied CPF's '3 Clean' principles under the government's Pracha Rath project. He learnt about the techniques that effectively tackle shrimp diseases, boost output and ensure quality, contamination-free and traceable shrimps. This gave confidence to Trang Aquaculture Cooperative to applying CPF's '3 Clean' principles. In the initial stage, a few farmers in Trang will attend training, before the knowledge will be spread to other farmers in the future.

'CPF's extension of support on aquaculture knowledge to Trang Aquaculture Cooperative will help improve farmers' techniques and equip them with understanding and knowledge in applying technology that will help produce quality products and ensure a certain output per rai as well as a lower production cost. Importantly, the farms will not cause environmental impacts,' Anant said.

Mr. Pairoj Apiruknusit, senior vice president of CPF, added that CPF devised and developed the '3 Clean' principles as a way towards sustainable farming. The principles focus on the cleanliness in 3 areas to improve the environment of shrimp ponds that will improve shrimps' quality of life. The principles concern the cleanliness of water in the ponds, disease-free baby shrimps, and the cleanliness of the pond floors, possible with scientific knowledge and

application of technology. For example, the water in the ponds is tested for organic carbon (DOC) and applying pipe water-making technique in preparing water for shrimp farming. Farmers will need to improve the farm structure, preferably by maintaining the reservoir: culture area ratio at 70:30 or adjusting the ratio to fit each farm. The '3 Clean' principles help boost shrimp growth rate. Combined with farmers' attention, their output per rai will definitely increase. Meanwhile, the principles will help sustainably prevent shrimp diseases and reduce related damages.

CPF transferred 3 Clean-based shrimp farming techniques to farmers in various areas and witnessed sustainable success. In 2016, CPF passed on the '3 Clean' knowledge to members of Kung Kraben Fisheries Cooperative in Chanthaburi province who suffered losses from shrimp diseases, helping them effectively tackle the diseases. The small farmers ended up increasing the output to 3-4 tons per rai, compared to 1:1 in the past. The farmers' output becomes more constant while the production cost decreases. This increases their income, leading them towards the quality of life