How India is Building a Pearl Farming Industry

Pearl farming is becoming a popular industry in India. While the quality of pearls produced in India is not excellent, the culture of pearl farming in the country is growing. To keep the culture alive, the Indian government has formulated plans to develop and expand the pearl farming industry in the country.

Cultured pearls

Pearl farming is an important part of India’s aquaculture industry. The country’s government supports the industry by funding half of the costs to set up a pearl pond. As of 2015, the government had supported 232 pearl farms across India. Pearl farming is one of the most lucrative aquaculture businesses. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Kerala was the first to successfully culture pearls. Later in 1994, efforts in Rajasthan and Gujarat also resulted in cultured pearls. Despite these efforts, most of the pearls produced in India were imported from Japan. In addition, the Japanese supply is shrinking, causing delays.

Narendra Garwa, an entrepreneur in Rajasthan, owned a small book store, but had to find a way to earn extra money. He started growing vegetables in plastic bottles and became interested in pearl farming. As an entrepreneur with a family, he decided to explore more profitable opportunities and started researching online. He soon became interested in pearls, which are produced by molluscs and formed as a reaction to irritants inside their protective membrane, called nacre.

Nacreous pearls

The country has two traditional areas for pearl production: the Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu) and the Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat). Today, though, natural pearl production is very limited. India’s Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute was the first to successfully culture pearls. The project was launched in Vizhinjam, near Thirvananthapuram, in Kerala. Although it was initially challenging, the project was eventually successful.

Pearls can be either freshwater or saltwater. The most valuable pearls are natural, which means that they form in the wild without human intervention. Freshwater pearls are usually harvested from mussels or oysters in temperate and hot climates. Most of the world’s freshwater pearls come from China. Saltwater pearls, on the other hand, are created in pearl farms through the artificial manipulation of the pearl oyster.

Keshi pearls

Today, over 70% of all pearls are used in jewellery. To create awareness about this problem, an organization called Beauty Without Cruelty has started a campaign to ban the sale of pearl jewellery. Instead, the organization encourages shops to use alternative pearls, such as white moonstones.

India’s traditional areas for pearl production are the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu and the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat. However, production has also been shifting to Tiruvanantapuram in Kerala. Similarly, Hyderabad is known as the “City Of Pearls” and is home to pearls passed down by the Nizams. However, India is also dependent on imports from Japan to meet its demand for pearls. Imports can be expensive and sometimes, they can lead to long delays. Additionally, Japan is experiencing declining production levels.

Narendra Garwa was running a small book store in Rajasthan when he decided to start farming pearls. He had a family to support and was looking for a new way to earn money. He started by growing vegetables in plastic bottles and eventually discovered pearls. Pearls are formed when the mollusc reacts to an irritant in the protective membrane on their shells called nacre. A pearl is essentially a combination of nacre and a little bit of mother-of-pearl.

Environmental concerns

Environmental concerns are an increasingly important part of any pearl farming venture. This is especially true when the industry is establishing new ponds and increasing its production. However, these risks are mitigated by heightened awareness and careful management. The industry is also mindful of esthetic effects.

Pearl farming can be beneficial for the environment as it helps conserve biodiversity. Moreover, it can also create jobs for local people as it does not depend on fishing. However, pearl farmers should also consider the environment in which oysters grow because a healthy environment is important for harvesting high-quality pearls. Despite its potential benefits, pearl farming is also a risky business.

The fine-quality cultured pearls are used to create fine jewelry. Small, unbeaded pearls are not as valuable and may be used for cosmetics or drugs.