KAKINADA: Many aqua farmers have not taken up aquaculture during this August due to adverse weather conditions, high feed rates and uncertainties over power subsidy.
Power subsidies are based on zones. A large number of farmers are outside these zones and hence have been excluded from the subsidy scheme. They feared taking up aquaculture because the high power tariffs may not leave enough profit margin for them, particularly in view of prices of fish going down.
Aqua sources say adamant attitude of state government in not reducing or controlling feed rates, apart from not extending power subsidy to all aquafarmers, will cause the government a loss of ₹6,000 crore by way of various taxes. More importantly, about 25 lakh to 30 lakh workers have lost employment.
Andhra Pradesh Aqua Farmers Association convener Gadiraju Subba Raju said they had submitted representations to government a number of times seeking resolution of their problems. As the government has not responded, most of the farmers who have leased lands have given up their cultivation. Only those who own the land are raising fish, as their overhead costs will be lesser.
Subba Raju demanded that the state government stabilise feed rates and extend power subsidy to all, so that all aquaculture farmers could benefit.
