Aqua farmers taking part in a State-level meeting in Amalapuram on Monday.
The Andhra Pradesh State Aqua Farmers Association (APSAFA) on Monday resolved to declare a crop holiday for shrimp farming from next April if the State government does not hold talks with farmers on their concerns, including a steep increase in aqua feed prices, by September 30.The harvesting of the current crop is expected to be completed by March, with the next season scheduled to begin in April after a month-long pond preparation period.Nearly 2,000 shrimp farmers from across Coastal Andhra Pradesh attended the State-level meeting held at Amalapuram in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district on Monday.Addressing the meeting, APSAFA president G. Gandhi Bhagawan Raju proposed that farmers observe a crop holiday from April if the State government failed to initiate talks on their concerns by September 30. The resolution was passed with the consent of the participants.“Within two months, companies have increased the maximum price of shrimp feed by ₹17 a kg. The price monitoring committee constituted by the State government has failed to prevent the rise in feed prices,” Mr. Gandhi Bhagawan Raju said.He said feed companies had, in recent years, also entered the market for probiotics used in aquaculture. “We have decided to boycott the probiotics produced by feed companies and shift to products of other companies as a mark of protest against the rise in feed prices,” he said.The shrimp farmers also urged the State government to request the Centre to announce a support price for shrimp to protect farmers from market fluctuations.Shrimp is cultivated on more than 3.5 lakh acres in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, providing a livelihood to more than 10 lakh people involved in activities ranging from pond operations to processing. Published - September 07, 2026 06:51 pm IST
