Andhra CM enabling 'exploitation' of aquaculture farmers through feed price hikes: Jagan Mohan

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday alleged that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was enabling the exploitation of aquaculture farmers by colluding with aquaculture feed companies through repeated price hikes.

The opposition leader claimed that every measure introduced during the previous YSRCP government to support aquaculture farmers had been systematically weakened, causing severe hardship to the farming community.

"Under your governance, no sector has been spared from exploitation. In the case of aquaculture feed prices too, you have colluded with the aqua feed companies and are enabling the looting of aqua farmers," Jagan said in a post on 'X'.

According to Jagan, aquaculture feed manufacturing companies would not have increased prices without the knowledge or approval of Andhra Pradesh State Aquaculture Development Authority (APSADA), the regulatory authority headed by the chief minister himself.

He questioned how the companies had gained the audacity to defy both the government and the law, alleging that they were closely associated with the ruling TDP-led coalition. Jagan further alleged that the state government remained silent despite continuous hikes in aqua feed prices because of its alleged nexus with the companies for "commissions".

He said the YSRCP government had enacted laws to protect aqua farmers from syndicates, middlemen and exploitative companies, besides establishing APSADA as a regulatory body under the chairmanship of the chief minister. Jagan alleged that after the NDA coalition came to power in the state, the institution was deliberately weakened and rendered ineffective.

He noted that the previous YSRCP government between 2019 and 2024 had regulated seed and feed quality standards, controlled prices and also determined rates for aqua products to safeguard farmers' interests. He also highlighted that electricity was supplied to aquaculture farmers at Rs 1.5 per unit during the YSRCP regime while support was extended through multiple welfare measures.

The opposition leader alleged that after the change in government, those systems were dismantled, pushing aquaculture farmers into distress, especially after aquaculture product prices crashed during the first year of the NDA coalition government.

The YSRCP supremo further alleged that instead of supporting farmers during losses, the government remained a silent spectator and was now openly backing the exploitation caused by feed price hikes. He warned that merely describing the increase in feed prices as temporary would not resolve the issue and demanded a complete rollback of the revised prices. The former chief minister said the YSRCP would launch protests along with aquaculture farmers if the feed price hikes were not withdrawn. There was no immediate reaction from the ruling TDP.