Experts have been rushed to even the interior areas of the shrimp-culturing states to educate the farmers against the ``misuse and abuse'' of antibiotics whose residues has caused serious concern to major importers, MPEDA was forced to act following a letter from the Japan Marine Products Importers' Association's executive managing director Masao Shimomura to the chairman of the Seafoods Exporters' Association of India Elias Sait mentioning detection of antibiotics in the Indian black tiger shrimp consignments.

The Japanese wanted to include that all expenses incurred towards invoice value, compensation to be paid by the importers to their customers in Japan, disposal charges, ship-back charges and even the transport charges following detection of antibiotics in the Indian shrimp consignments in future should be met by the Indian exporters.

Japan,the USA and European Union continue to be major markets for Indian shrimp exports which earned Rs 3,345 crore foreign exchange during 1998-99. As against 1,02,484 tonnes of tiger shrimp exports, cultured shrimp alone accounted for over 55,000 tonnes earning Rs 2,500 crore worth forex.

India cultivates shrimp in about 80,000 hectares as against 1.2 lakh hectares of land identified suitable for the culture even as authorities expect that one lakh hectares would be brought under the culture by the turn of the century with a projected seed demand of over 9,000 million per annum.

Recent analysis of 97 shrimp samples collected from different states showed that 13 were contaminated and seven of them were from Andhra, two each from Kerala and West Bengal and one each from Tamil Nadu, Orissa and other states.

The MPEDA authorities have started advising the farmers to use antibiotics only when necessary and to maintain suitable ``withdrawal periods ranging between 15 to 20 days to ensure residue-free shrimps harvest.''

The authorities also caution the farmers through pamphlets and handbills against distress sales of the diseased or contaminated shrimp in their anxiety to save the crop as the black tiger shrimp is a totally export commodity these days.

On the other hand, the authorities favour use of pro-biotics which have a salubrious effect on the shrimp controlling the growth of harmful, pathogenic bacteria besides helping the growth of animal friendly bacteria in the culture ponds.

The antibiotics were mostly used when the farmers detected viral disorders such as white spot disease marked with excoriation of the syphilis type on the gills or antenal cuts.