Aqua Feed Prices Cut By Rs 4 Per Kilo After CM's Call
The decision was welcomed by fish and shrimp farmers, who also thanked the government for continuing to provide power to aquaculture units at a subsidised rate of Rs 1.50 per unit.
VIJAYAWADA: Aquaculture farmers across Andhra Pradesh heaved a sigh of relief after Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu mediated a reduction in aqua feed prices. The manufacturers agreed to cut rates by Rs 4 per kilogram.
At a high-level meeting Naidu held in Amaravati with aquaculture farmers, feed manufacturers, minister K Atchannaidu and senior officials, he directed stakeholders to help reduce production costs and improve profitability for farmers.
In response, feed manufacturers agreed to lower the feed price from Rs 112 to Rs 108 per kg.
The decision was welcomed by fish and shrimp farmers, who also thanked the government for continuing to provide power to aquaculture units at a subsidised rate of Rs 1.50 per unit.
To ensure long-term price stability, Naidu ordered the formation of a committee comprising representatives of aquaculture farmers and feed manufacturers. The panel, he said, should submit its report within 20 days, after which the government would take a final call on a sustainable pricing mechanism.
During the meeting, farmers said feed prices had been increased six times during the previous government’s tenure and alleged that no serious efforts were made to bring down the costs. Feed prices had risen from Rs 87.80 in 2019 to Rs 107.80 per kg by mid-2024, they said.
Farmers noted that soon after the state government assumed office, feed prices were reduced by Rs 5.80 per kg, and the latest cut would provide further relief to the sector.
Representatives of the farming community also credited Naidu with expanding aquaculture beyond the traditional Godavari districts, enabling its growth across the coastal belt from Srikakulam to Nellore.