VIJAYAWADA: Aquaculture is often described as one of India’s most unpredictable industries. Success hinges on factors that are largely beyond a farmer’s control: water quality, disease outbreaks, fluctuating feed prices, volatile global shrimp markets and changing weather patterns. Even the most experienced farmers have seen fortunes vanish overnight, while many newcomers fail to survive their first few crop cycles.
Yet, amid these uncertainties, one woman from Andhra Pradesh has not only embraced the challenges but has also excelled in an industry where even seasoned farmers often struggle. Meet Krishna Sri Kotikalapudi, an Electrical Engineering graduate who chose an unconventional path and has emerged as a successful aquaculture entrepreneur, breaking stereotypes and inspiring a new generation of farmers, especially women.
Based in Akividu of West Godavari, Krishna Sri is actively involved in a shrimp farming partnership spanning nearly 800 acres. Among these, she personally monitors and manages 105 acres, taking responsibility for every critical aspect of cultivation. “Entering the aquaculture field as a woman was difficult initially, but I kept moving forward by facing each problem and learning along the way. From the outside, aquaculture may appear easy, but there are many challenges at the ground level. I have turned the struggles I faced into my strength. Meantime my husband, Kotikalapudi Madan Kumar, has always supported and encouraged me whenever I wanted to try something new, she added. From pond preparation and water quality management to feed selection, shrimp growth monitoring, regular sampling, harvesting, de-veining and marketing, Krishna Sri believes that success lies in personally understanding every stage of production.
Rather than limiting herself to supervision, she spends much of her time in the ponds, closely monitoring operations and making field-level decisions. Her journey becomes even more remarkable considering the industry’s traditional gender dynamics. Krishna Sri has broken that stereotype through sheer commitment and competence. An engineer by education, Krishna Sri brings a scientific approach to aquaculture. She believes successful shrimp farming depends on understanding the relationship between water quality, feed management, shrimp health and timely intervention. Her technical mindset allows her to analyse problems systematically and make informed decisions on the farm.
“Aquaculture is not just about cultivating shrimp in a pond. It involves several sectors, including labour, feed, medicines, seed selection, transportation, harvesting and processing. Therefore, the aquaculture sector provides livelihoods to a large number of people,” she says.
The challenges, however, remain significant. Feed prices have risen sharply, while shrimp prices remain under pressure, squeezing farmers’ margins. “At present, feed prices are very high, while shrimp prices, particularly for larger counts, remain low. As a result, farmers’ profit margins have come down significantly. My approach is to remain calm in every situation, closely observe the market and adapt to changing circumstances with sound technical knowledge,” Krishna Sri says.
Beyond farming, Krishna Sri has also become a digital educator. Through her social media platforms, she regularly shares practical guidance on water management, feed practices, shrimp growth, disease prevention, sampling techniques, harvesting methods and current market trends. “I currently have around 14,000 followers on social media. I use social media not just to gain followers, but also to share information,” she says.
Her content is practical rather than theoretical. She records actual field operations, explains the reasons behind management decisions and encourages farmers to adopt scientific practices instead of relying solely on traditional methods. By sharing both successes and challenges, she has built credibility among the farming community.