Jagan to Hold Key Meeting with Aqua Farmers
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will visit Bhimavaram in West Godavari district on July 15 to interact with aquaculture farmers and representatives of farmers’ associations. The meeting comes at a time when Andhra Pradesh’s aquaculture sector is facing a severe crisis, with farmers expressing growing concerns over rising production costs and declining profitability.
YSRCP Blames Coalition Government for Crisis
According to YSRCP, the ongoing crisis in the aquaculture sector is the result of the coalition government’s policies. The party alleges that instead of addressing farmers’ concerns, the government has been favoring fish feed manufacturers and traders.
Farmers have reportedly raised concerns over the withdrawal of electricity subsidies, repeated hikes in fish feed prices, and the government’s inability to resolve export-related challenges. They claim these factors have significantly increased production costs and pushed many aqua farmers into financial distress.
Allegations Over Unfulfilled Election Promise
YSRCP leaders say the party has repeatedly urged the government to fulfill its election promise of reducing fish feed prices. However, they allege that despite multiple appeals and protests by aquaculture farmers across the state, the government has failed to respond effectively.
The party further claims that the government has been siding with a syndicate of feed manufacturers rather than protecting the interests of farmers.
Farmers Seek Jagan’s Intervention
Against this backdrop, YSRCP says several aquaculture farmers approached Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and explained the hardships they are facing. The party states that it had given the government a deadline to address the issues faced by the farming community.
Although the Andhra Pradesh State Aquaculture Development Authority (APSDA) later convened an emergency meeting, YSRCP alleges that while farmers demanded a reduction of ₹4 per kilogram in fish feed prices, the government approved only a ₹2 reduction.
The party argues that feed prices had already increased by as much as ₹14, making the ₹2 reduction insufficient to provide any meaningful relief to farmers.
Aqua Farmers Considering ‘Crop Holiday’
YSRCP claims that, due to the continuing financial burden, aquaculture farmers across Andhra Pradesh are considering announcing a “crop holiday” by temporarily suspending aquaculture operations.
The party maintains that the coalition government’s policies have pushed the sector into crisis and says Jagan’s upcoming meeting in Bhimavaram is expected to be significant both politically and from the perspective of addressing the concerns of the aquaculture community.
