Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy interacted with aqua farmers in Bhimavaram and expressed serious concern over the challenges facing the aquaculture sector. He alleged that the industry is going through a severe crisis due to government negligence and said lakhs of farmers are suffering heavy financial losses. Jagan also stated that the aqua sector, which provides employment to nearly five lakh people in the state, has been ignored by the government.
Jagan accused aqua feed companies of increasing feed prices arbitrarily. He said that during the YSRCP government, a regulatory board monitored feed prices to prevent unilateral hikes. According to him, the present government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has weakened that system, allowing feed prices to rise by ₹14 to ₹16 per kilogram within just four months.
He pointed out that feed accounts for nearly 60% of the total cost of aqua farming, making the price hike a major burden on farmers. Jagan questioned why companies cite rising raw material costs to increase prices but do not reduce prices when those costs come down. He urged the government to intervene and protect the interests of aqua farmers.
