Aqua Farmers Head Towards a 'Crop Holiday'.... Emergency State-Level Meeting of Aqua Farmers Held in Konaseema.... Farmers Demand Government Intervention Regarding the 'Syndicate System' in the Aqua Sector....

Amalapuram: Indian News Times:An emergency meeting of the Andhra Pradesh State-Level Aqua Coordination Committee was held at Hotel Samrat in Amalapuram, under the leadership of Dendukuri Sathibabu Raju—District President of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema District Aqua Association—with the objective of safeguarding the aqua sector from its current crisis. Aqua farmers arriving from various districts across the state expressed deep concern regarding the prevailing conditions within the sector. The meeting featured extensive discussions on critical issues such as the burden of rising feed prices, poor quality of shrimp seed, plummeting shrimp market rates, and exploitative practices by exporters. The farmers asserted that the aqua sector is currently "on a ventilator" and urged the government to intervene immediately to revitalize it. They demanded that processing plants take a decision to raise the price of 100-count shrimp to Rs. 270 per kilogram, a rate previously sought. The farmers stated that, due to the lack of fair pricing for their produce, they are facing severe financial losses. They expressed their anguish, noting that under current market conditions, they are incurring losses of up to Rs. 40,000 per ton.

They criticized the fact that while seed producers, feed manufacturers, and exporters continue to reap profits, the aqua farmers themselves are left languishing in debt and losses. Furthermore, members of the Aqua Coordination Committee strongly condemned recent remarks made by representatives of Avanti Feeds, who had questioned whether the sector's problems would simply vanish if aqua farmers merely "begged" for solutions. Expressing their indignation, the farmers asserted that it is inappropriate for feed manufacturing companies to speak arbitrarily; they argued that if aqua farmers choose not to purchase feed, it is the companies that would be forced to shut down, while the farmers would suffer no loss. They urged that, for the aqua sector to survive, decisions favorable to farmers regarding seed, feed, and pricing must be implemented. The farmers demanded that the government understand their plight and provide electricity subsidies. Lamenting that they are unable to bear the burden of transformer charges, they appealed to the coalition government to resolve their issues. The farmers noted that the aqua sector provides employment to over 4 million people across the state. They emphasized that the government must rescue the aqua sector—which generates valuable foreign exchange in the form of dollars for the nation—from its current crisis.

They requested that the government take measures to boost the domestic consumption of prawns and fish. Farmer leaders suggested that the public should heed the wisdom of their elders, who taught that consuming prawns and fish during the *Margashira Karthi* (a specific auspicious period) promotes good health. On this occasion, they announced that they would distribute prawns and fish free of cost to the poor.

Leaders of the farmers' associations revealed that they would launch a district- and mandal-wise action plan through a state-level committee. They demanded that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu take appropriate decisions regarding the aqua sector immediately.

The farmers warned that if the government fails to address their demands, they would be compelled to declare a "crop holiday." They urged the government to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the exploitative practices within the aqua sector and to extend support to the farmers. Ramesh Raju, Nani Raju, Sathi Babu Raju, and a large number of other aqua farmers participated in the event..

An emergency meeting of the Andhra Pradesh State-Level Aqua Coordination Committee was held at Hotel Samrat in Amalapuram, under the leadership of Dendukuri Sathibabu Raju—District President of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema District Aqua Association—with the objective of safeguarding the aqua sector from its current crisis. Aqua farmers arriving from various districts across the state expressed deep concern regarding the prevailing conditions within the sector. The meeting featured extensive discussions on critical issues such as the burden of rising feed prices, poor quality of shrimp seed, plummeting shrimp market rates, and exploitative practices by exporters. The farmers asserted that the aqua sector is currently "on a ventilator" and urged the government to intervene immediately to revitalize it. They demanded that processing plants take a decision to raise the price of 100-count shrimp to Rs. 270 per kilogram, a rate previously sought. The farmers stated that, due to the lack of fair pricing for their produce, they are facing severe financial losses. They expressed their anguish, noting that under current market conditions, they are incurring losses of up to Rs. 40,000 per ton.

They criticized the fact that while seed producers, feed manufacturers, and exporters continue to reap profits, the aqua farmers themselves are left languishing in debt and losses. Furthermore, members of the Aqua Coordination Committee strongly condemned recent remarks made by representatives of Avanti Feeds, who had questioned whether the sector's problems would simply vanish if aqua farmers merely "begged" for solutions.  Expressing their indignation, the farmers asserted that it is inappropriate for feed manufacturing companies to speak arbitrarily; they argued that if aqua farmers choose not to purchase feed, it is the companies that would be forced to shut down, while the farmers would suffer no loss. They urged that, for the aqua sector to survive, decisions favorable to farmers regarding seed, feed, and pricing must be implemented. The farmers demanded that the government understand their plight and provide electricity subsidies. Lamenting that they are unable to bear the burden of transformer charges, they appealed to the coalition government to resolve their issues. The farmers noted that the aqua sector provides employment to over 4 million people across the state. They emphasized that the government must rescue the aqua sector—which generates valuable foreign exchange in the form of dollars for the nation—from its current crisis.
They requested that the government take measures to boost the domestic consumption of prawns and fish. Farmer leaders suggested that the public should heed the wisdom of their elders, who taught that consuming prawns and fish during the *Margashira Karthi* (a specific auspicious period) promotes good health. On this occasion, they announced that they would distribute prawns and fish free of cost to the poor.
Leaders of the farmers' associations revealed that they would launch a district- and mandal-wise action plan through a state-level committee. They demanded that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu take appropriate decisions regarding the aqua sector immediately.
The farmers warned that if the government fails to address their demands, they would be compelled to declare a "crop holiday." They urged the government to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the exploitative practices within the aqua sector and to extend support to the farmers. Ramesh Raju, Nani Raju, Sathi Babu Raju, and a large number of other aqua farmers participated in the event.

                    Srinivas Spl Correspondant