NELLORE: Even though there is a good demand for aqua products of Andhra Pradesh in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka during the lockdown period, majority of owners of vehicles are not coming forward for transportation.
With this aqua farmers are forced to sell their aqua products to local traders at very low prices in the district.
Despite officials announcing that permits will be given to the trucks, which carry aqua products, truckers are not showing interest for transportation due to lockdown restrictions.
Normally, aquaculture is being done in around 1.05 lakh acres in 16 coastal mandals in the district. After the huge losses with decrease in prices of shrimp, the culture has come down to 57,000 acres across the district. The culture started in the coastal mandals in January.
Now, harvesting is being done in some mandals. After harvesting the aqua products, farmers will shift the produce to companies for exporting it to other countries.
Based on the orders from the other countries, the aqua products will be packed as per the standards. Local people will be deputed for packing of aqua products in these companies. Meanwhile, some of the farmers will sell the products to local traders.
“Owners of the trucks are not coming forward to transport aqua products to other states with the restrictions of lockdown being in place. Despite permission given by the local authorities for transport of aqua products, officials of other States are restricting their movement. Hence, truckers are reluctant to transport aqua products.
There is also shortage of labourers for loading aqua products into trucks due to lockdown,” said S Narayana Rao, an aqua farmer from Leguntapadu. Even though there is a good demand for aqua products in the local market, traders and middlemen have been purchasing the products at low prices from farmers as they are scared of the virus.
“We are forced to sell our aqua products to the local traders at very low prices. Traders say that exports to other countries may halt within a few days because of the coronavirus fear,” said K Ravi Kumar, a farmer from Indukurpeta.