The prawn farming base owned by Zhejiang Hongye Seafood Co Ltd in Linhai, a county-level city in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: tzfb001]

Prawn farming has become a new engine fueling income growth for farmers in Linhai, a county-level city in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province.

The prawn's breeding area in the city currently exceeds 11,000 mu (733.3 hectares) and has an annual output of 550 million yuan ($84.6 million).

One of the leading companies in this field in Linhai is Zhejiang Hongye Seafood Co Ltd, which has since 2007 been breeding prawns in 555 mu of mud flats in Taozhu town.

To date, the company has obtained 11 invention patents and new utility patents, among which the umbrella insulation shed developed by it has been promoted throughout Zhejiang.

In addition, Hongye's success has inspired some sea aquaculture companies to follow suit, and this has generated additional incomes for more than 300 farmers. These companies have also established partnerships with universities including Hunan Agricultural University, Huazhong Agricultural University and Ningbo University to offer free testing services and technical training for farmers three to four times a year.

Prawns are now considered one of the characteristic products of Linhai, which is also renowned for its tangerine, tea, waxberry and broccoli.