Prawn and shrimp farming is a big business in central and southern Thailand and helps to contribute to making Thailand the worlds third largest exporter of these creatures. Prawns are farmed in large ponds that are about a metre deep and filled with either fresh, brackish or sea water depending on the location and the type of creature grown. Prawn larvae bought from a hatchery are placed in the ponds and fed special feeds to encourage growth.
There are strict controls on quality and the produce is regularly tested for disease, antibiotic residue and traces of growth hormones by Thai Fisheries Ministry inspectors.
The ponds in this photograph are near the sea and are filled from a river so the water will be brackish. Ponds usually have some sort of sluice system so they can be flushed, however much has been written about the pollution this causes particularly in the Gulf of Thailand.
Because of the tropical location ponds can produce up to three “crops” a year. In the market in Prachuap prawns produced locally sell for between 120-160 Baht($4-$5) a Kilo.
Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D 55mm Lens
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