Centre urged to provide fair prices for aqua products

PNS|Narasaraopet

Narasaraopet MP Lavu Srikrishnadevarayalu has appealed to the Central government to take steps to provide remunerative prices for the aqua products as the industry is facing a slump and also ensure that exports to China are resumed.

MP Sri Krishnadevarayalu speaking in the Lok Sobha on Friday said that the aqua industry is in slump in AP and the aqua farmers are not incurring losses due to steel fall on products. The MP pointed out that AP produces 70 percent of the total aqua products of India. He told the Lok Sabha that the shrimp prices have scrambled during the last two months leaving the aqua farmers in lurch.

The MP said that AP produces Rs 25,000 crore worth of aqua products per annum and it is imperative for the Centre to take immediate steps to check the falling prices and provide remunerative prices to the farmers.

He informed the House that China has rejected aqua products being exported from India citing the Coronavirus crisis which affected about 30 percent of aqua farmers in the state. The exports of aqua products to China have not been approved, which led to the closure of several processing units in AP, he told the House, adding that Vietnam and Indonesia are also facing such a situation but the two countries could reach an agreement with China to export their aqua products.

Sri Krishnadevarayalu appealed to the Commerce and Industries Ministry of the Central government to speak with the officials concerned with China to resume the export of aqua products from India.