VIJAYAWADA: The sudden hike in shrimp feed prices has been suspended after the State government’s intervention. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu chaired a video conference with feed manufacturers, aqua farmer associations and senior officials on Wednesday. Following the meeting, the Shrimp Feed Manufacturers Association formally informed the government in writing that the proposed price hike would be suspended.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has written to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal seeking urgent action on the steep rise in raw material costs that triggered the proposed shrimp feed price hike.
During the meeting, Atchannaidu strongly objected to the unilateral increase in feed prices, warning companies not to exploit the hardship of aqua farmers for commercial gain. He made it clear that the NDA government would not tolerate measures that impose additional burden on farmers, particularly when the aquaculture sector is already grappling with multiple challenges.
While citing rising raw material costs as the reason for considering a price revision, the association agreed to defer the price increase in deference to the minister’s guidance. Atchannaidu announced that a joint meeting of aqua farmers, feed manufacturers, and officials will be held on May 15 to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution.
In his letter to Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Chief Minister Naidu highlighted that each tonne of feed is now imposing an additional burden of Rs 25,000 on aqua farmers, sharply raising investment costs. He cautioned that unchecked escalation could reduce shrimp cultivation, affecting livelihoods of thousands and aquaculture output.
Naidu urged the Centre to ensure adequate availability of raw materials for domestic needs, suggesting relaxation on imports of soybean meal and soybean oil. He also called for a dedicated mechanism to monitor shrimp feed prices.