Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has written to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking beneficial measures for aquaculture farmers amid concerns over rising prices of shrimp feed.
During a review meeting chaired by Special Secretary P Rajasekhar at the Secretariat here, the state government decided to approach the Union Minister keeping in mind the interests of farmers, especially on issues like incentives for fishmeal exports and restrictions on soybean imports.
“CM Naidu has written to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan requesting him to take favorable steps for aquaculture farmers in view of the rising prices of shrimp feeds,” an official statement said late on Saturday.
According to officials, the meeting discussed the impact of rising feed prices on the aquaculture sector and the problems faced by shrimp farmers across the state.
Fisheries Commissioner Ramashankar Naik explained the current status of aquaculture in the state, including prawn production, feed consumption patterns, current feed prices and the proposed increase by processing companies.
Scientists from the Central Institute of Strainedwater Aquaculture said prices of key raw materials such as soybeans, fish meal and fish oil rose sharply between January and May 2026, the statement said.
They pointed out that the cost of manufacturing feed has increased at a rate $31.03 per kilogram due to the high prices of raw materials and the proposal to use alternative inputs.
Representatives of feed manufacturing companies told the meeting that prices of key raw materials increased by more than 20 percent between January and April 2026.
According to officials, fish meal prices rose from $1.5 thousand per ton $2.4 lakh fish oil from $2.8 lakh for $4.4 lakh and soy lecithin from $68,000 to $1.1 lakh.
The companies claimed that there is an additional burden of approx $£25,000 was incurred in manufacturing each ton of feed and an increase of £25,000 was requested. $25 l $The statement stated that 31 pounds per kilogram.
However, farmer representatives strongly objected to the proposed increase, claiming that companies fail to pass on benefits to aqua farmers when raw material prices fall.
They also claimed that feed manufacturers, processors and exporters were acting as one business group and imposing an additional burden on aqua farmers.
Farmer representatives called on the government to continue current feed prices for at least two months until the summer crop is completed. They also called for subsidizing electricity at a price. $1.50 per unit to Andhra Pradesh Aquaculture Development Authority – licensed aquaculture farms, the statement said.
The meeting also decided to create a mechanism to determine monthly shrimp feed prices based on the cost of raw materials, similar to the poultry feed pricing policy.
Officials also opined that a system should be implemented to determine purchasing prices of shrimp every 15 days to help farmers do timely harvesting without falling victim to misinformation.
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