NDA government revived aquaculture sector, asserts Fisheries Minister Atchannaidu
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Wednesday accused the previous YSRCP government of weakening the aquaculture sector through “policy failures,” and said
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Wednesday accused the previous YSRCP government of weakening the aquaculture sector through “policy failures,” and said the coalition government had revived the industry by reducing production costs, enhancing subsidies and introducing farmer-friendly measures. Addressing the media, Mr. Atchannaidu said Andhra Pradesh’s Gross Value Added (GVA) increased from ₹41.75 lakh crore in 2019-20 to ₹63.65 lakh crore in 2025-26.
He claimed the fisheries sector, which recorded 15.74% growth during the TDP government (2014-19), slowed to around one per cent by 2023-24 under the YSRCP government. According to him, the sector rebounded with 7.38% growth in 2024-25, and was expected to register 14.9% growth in 2025-26. Atchannaidu said the NDA government reduced fish feed prices by ₹5.60 per kg in 2024 and lowered the effective electricity tariff for aquaculture farmers from ₹3.85 to ₹2 per unit, while extending subsidised power at ₹1.50 per unit to all eligible farmers by removing zonal restrictions.
He said the power subsidy had increased from ₹764 crore in 2023-24 to ₹845 crore in 2025-26, with ₹1,150 crore proposed for 2026-27. The Minister alleged that the previous government’s policies sharply increased production costs due to a rise in transformer prices, water charges and
market cess, besides failing to support shrimp farmers during a price crash. He said the government was formulating a comprehensive end-to-end aquaculture policy, released ₹32 crore for the proposed Fisheries University at Narasapuram, and strengthened the APSADA Act to improve governance and transparency in the sector.
The BriefWire