Maqiao Freshwater Shrimp

Maqiao Freshwater Shrimp

　　Maqiao Village is located on the southern bank of the Qingyi River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. The village has 430 households and a population of 1,458. It covers a total area of 4,800 mu, including 1,600 mu of arable land, 2,000 mu of low-lying land, and 2,500 mu dedicated to aquaculture. In 2007, it was named a specialty aquaculture village in Wuhu County, in 2008 it was designated as a model village for new farmer training by the county agricultural commission, and in 2009, the provincial agricultural commission recognized it as a “New Rural Construction – Freshwater Shrimp Specialty Industry Demonstration Village.”

　　　 In recent years, through guidance, demonstration, training, and other supportive measures, the village has developed a total aquaculture area of 3,560 mu. A variety of eco-friendly farming models have been established, with a focus on freshwater shrimp — including double-season cultivation, rice-shrimp co-culture, shrimp-crab mixed farming, and fish-shrimp integrated farming. The annual output of freshwater shrimp in the village reaches 300,000 kilograms, with a production value of 27.23 million yuan. The total income from the freshwater shrimp industry accounts for 86.9% of the village’s total agricultural revenue. This single industry contributed to a 12.5% increase in per capita net income for villagers in 2010, which was 22% higher than the county average.