Aquaculture, a sector that earns the state thousands of crores in foreign exchange, has been pushed into deep crisis by the TDP Government’s negligence. While the government looks on, feed and processing companies are exploiting farmers; shrimp count prices have collapsed; and farmers are trapped between the government’s incapacity and company syndicates’ manipulation. “Standing by aqua farmers, former CM YS Jagan visits Bhimavaram today.”
Indiscriminate cuts in count prices:
Per Fish Data, about 1.62 lakh farmers cultivate aqua across 5.72 lakh acres in AP, producing over 10 lakh tonnes — around 80% of the country’s output. Vannamei farmers are being hit by viruses, adverse weather, and falling prices even as lease, feed, and power costs climb.
Production costs run about ₹250/kg for 100-count shrimp, ₹300 for 50-count, and ₹350+ for 30-count. Trump-era tariffs knocked count prices down ₹30–70/kg last year, and the “West Asia price war” cut another ₹30–80. Shrimp that fetched ₹275/kg (100-count) three months ago now sells at ₹235, with companies imposing further arbitrary cuts of ₹10–15 and count-to-count gaps of ₹30–50 .
Feed price up ₹16,000 a tonne:
Vannamei royalty seed costs ₹2.90 lakh and tiger ₹4 lakh per lakh seed; feed adds ₹1.10 lakh more. Feed that cost ₹72,000–80,000 a tonne in 2023 now costs ₹1.13 lakh (vannamei) and ₹1.26 lakh (tiger). The government has failed to enforce the “Aahara” (Fish Feed & Seed) Act meant to shield farmers, letting feed companies raise prices about 30% in two years. Seed prices, cut from 35 to 33 paise under the previous government, are back at 35 paise. At a CM-level meeting, companies agreed to cut ₹4,000 per tonne then reportedly took a U-turn within 24 hours, and the government did nothing.
Dodging the power subsidy:
Chandrababu promised ₹1.50-per-unit power for all aqua farmers regardless of zone, non-zone, or extent — but not one farmer has received the subsidy in two years. Instead, “power factor” penalty conditions, surcharges, and other charges have been layered on; farmers are paying ₹2.50–3.85 per unit, with overload charges adding ₹8,000–12,000 per service.
₹3,804 crore in subsidies over five years:
By contrast, YS Jagan government implemented ₹1.50/unit aqua power from its first season in 2019, cleared ₹309.95 crore in dues left over from the TDP era, extended the subsidy to 64,735 connections (54,083 services in zones; ~84% of connections, benefiting ~95% of farmers), and paid ₹3,804 crore in subsidies during 2019–24. It also brought the Fish Feed & Seed Act to curb exploitation, reviewed royalty prices every 15 days, and saved farmers an estimated ₹8,600 crore burden by holding down feed and seed prices.
