Aqua Farmers Stage Protest, Dump Shrimp on Road

Kakinada: Aqua farmers under the banner of the Jai Bharat Ksheera Rama Aqua Farmers Association staged a protest at Palakollu in West Godavari district on Friday, alleging exploitation by shrimp processing units and feed companies.

Despite severe heatwave conditions, with temperatures crossing 42°C and high humidity levels pushing the heat index to nearly 49°C, the farmers staged a rasta roko at Y Junction near the National Highway and dumped shrimp on the road as a mark of protest.

The protesting farmers alleged that shrimp processing units had drastically reduced procurement prices while feed companies were continuously increasing feed rates, pushing aqua farmers into heavy losses. They expressed concern over the lack of price stabilisation and inadequate regulation of feed company pricing.

Leading the agitation, association president Bhagavan Raju said shrimp prices had fallen sharply over the past week. He said shrimp that fetched Rs 270 per 100 count a week ago was purchased at `235 on Thursday and further dropped to Rs 220 on Friday.

He said aqua farmers were unable to continue cultivation under the present conditions and alleged that many had been incurring severe losses over the past two to three years. Bhagavan Raju warned that aqua farmers across the state might be forced to observe a crop holiday unless the government intervened and resolved the issue.

Association leaders Bonam China Babu, John Raju, Satyanarayana Raju and others participated in the protest.