The fields of Inna Khera village in Punjab’s Sri Muktsar Sahib, once dismissed as agriculturally unviable due to high saline content, is now producing one of the region’s most profitable harvests — shrimp.

Where wheat and paddy yields had steadily declined because of persistent waterlogging, Rupinder Kaur and her family have built a thriving aquaculture enterprise that today spans more than 35 acres and generates annual profits running into lakhs per acre.

The transformation began in 2021. At the time, the family owned barely 5.5 acres of land, and conventional farming was becoming increasingly unsustainable. “The soil was no longer supporting profitable wheat and paddy cultivation,” recalls Rupinder Kaur, a graduate in fashion designing and cosmetology who never imagined she would one day become an aquaculture entrepreneur.

The turning point came when Fisheries Department officials visited the village to promote shrimp farming as an alternative suited to saline soil conditions. After attending an awareness camp organised by fisheries officials, Rupinder, along with her husband Manjider Singh Sandhu, mother-in-law Kanwaljeet Kaur, and father-in-law Surjit Singh, decided to take the risk.

The family underwent a seven-day training programme before launching their first shrimp ponds. The investment was substantial — nearly Rs 8–10 lakh per acre for excavation, aerators, electricity systems, shrimp seed, feed, and water management infrastructure. But government support proved crucial. As a woman farmer, Rupinder received a 60 per cent subsidy, easing much of the financial burden. The family also took a Rs 15 lakh loan and borrowed money from relatives to establish the project.

The gamble paid off almost immediately.

Their first harvest in 2021 delivered unexpectedly strong returns and dramatically improved the family’s finances. Using the profits, they purchased eight additional acres in Bahadur Khera village at Rs 7.5 lakh per acre, expanding their holdings to 13.5 acres. Today, shrimp farming is actively carried out on this land, while another 22 leased acres have been prepared for expansion.

The family primarily cultivates Litopenaeus vannamei (shrimp), a premium variety that fetches Rs 400–450 per kilogram in the market. Under favourable conditions, the shrimp grow to 30–35 grams within 100–120 days, making them ready for harvest.

The economics are striking. One acre can produce three to five tonnes of shrimp in a single cycle. With two cycles annually, yearly production reaches six to ten tonnes per acre. Even at the lower end, a single cycle can generate sales worth nearly Rs 12 lakh per acre. After operational costs averaging around Rs 6 lakh annually, the family estimates profits of Rs 7–8 lakh per acre every year.

The enterprise recovered its investment within the first year itself.

A major contributor to the farm’s success has been the adoption of biofloc technology, an advanced aquaculture system that uses beneficial microorganisms to convert waste into protein-rich natural feed while maintaining water quality. On half an acre, the family operates two biofloc ponds where shrimp seed is raised under controlled conditions before being transferred to larger open ponds.

“We use biofloc during the initial growth stage because survival rates and growth are much better,” says Rupinder. “Later, when the shrimp are shifted to open ponds, growth becomes very rapid.”

The family sources high-quality shrimp seed from Andhra Pradesh and follows strict scientific management practices involving probiotics, aerators, and continuous water monitoring.

Despite the profitability, shrimp farming is labour-intensive. Shrimp must be fed at least four times daily, and the entire family remains involved round the clock. Alongside aquaculture, they also run a dairy business with 15 buffaloes and two cows, creating an integrated farming model that provides year-round income and local employment.

Four permanent labourers work on the farm throughout the year, while buyers often visit directly for procurement, reducing marketing challenges.

Rupinder has since emerged as a recognised face of agricultural diversification and women-led rural entrepreneurship in Punjab. She has received multiple honours, including recognition during the Republic Day celebrations in 2025 for her contribution to innovative farming.

Now planning further expansion of biofloc operations, Rupinder believes shrimp farming has given new life not only to degraded land, but also to her own aspirations.

“Shrimp farming revived our unproductive land and gave me a meaningful purpose,” she says. “Without the support of my family and the Fisheries Department, I would never have entered this field.”