AsiahasalwaysledworldproductionofcultivatedshrimpwithamarketvalueofbillionsofUSdollars
peryear.Indiaisrankedamongthetop fiveshrimpfarmingcountriesglobally.Itisoneofthelargest
producersoftheblacktigershrimp Penaeusmonodon intheworld.Itcontributed21%and44%byvolume
andvalue,respectivelytoIndianseafoodexportsin2008–09.Currentestimatespredictthatupto40%of
tropicalshrimpproduction(4$3bn)islostannually,mainlyduetoviralpathogensforwhichstandard
preventativemeasures(e.g.suchasvaccination)arenotfeasible.In1996and1997WSSVwasmore
disastrous,withcumulativelostexportrevenueestimatedat1billionUSdollars [7]. Thewhitespot
disease(WSD)hasrapidlyspreadtodifferentregionsoftheworldwithaneconomicimpactapproaching
US$10billion.