Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu highlighted the tough times hitting the state’s aquaculture sector during a recent Assembly session. He explained that U.S. tariffs, pushed by former President Donald Trump, have slammed the brakes on exports, which bring in a whopping Rs 21,000 crore to the state each year.
Naidu shared these insights while presenting a PowerPoint on agriculture and allied sectors. His team is already in discussions with the central government to open up new markets for aquaculture products. As a backup plan, he’s pushing to boost domestic consumption right here in India.
To support aqua farmers facing this crisis, the state government is stepping in with practical help. They’re supplying electricity at just Rs 1.50 per unit to registered farmers, no matter the zone. Plus, officials are negotiating with companies to slash the price of aquaculture feed by Rs 9 per kg.
Naidu sees big potential in expanding the marine economy. He’s putting a spotlight on seaweed culture, which could create tons of jobs and income opportunities for young people. “This will open up large-scale earning chances through seaweed,” he told the Assembly.
The chief minister promised to make Andhra Pradesh the top state in both aquaculture and agriculture. His government is all in on farmers’ welfare, working hard to ensure minimum support prices (MSP) for key crops and adding value to agricultural products through better processing.
He urged MLAs to hit the fields starting in October—visit farmers, listen to their issues firsthand, and share what the state is doing to protect their interests and make farming more profitable.
Naidu pointed out that Andhra Pradesh ranks second in the country for fertilizer and pesticide use. To cut down on that, he’s promoting drones for precise pesticide application and tech innovations to lower overall cultivation costs.
Farmers turned to extra urea as a “booster” after floods, expanding the sown area by 1.16 lakh acres. The state got 16.70 lakh tonnes of urea for the Kharif season, with current reserves at 5.54 lakh tonnes. But Naidu warned that overusing urea harms soil health and invites pests. To encourage smarter habits, the government offers a Rs 800 subsidy to farmers who cut back on urea.
On the financial front, the state has already transferred Rs 3,173 crore to farmers’ accounts under the Annadata Sukheebhava-PM Kisan scheme. Onion growers hit by losses get Rs 50,000 per hectare in compensation, and similar aid is flowing to farmers of mango, chilli, cocoa, cotton, and tobacco. Naidu emphasized building more food processing units to boost the value of these crops.
Agriculture powers 35% of Andhra Pradesh’s gross state domestic product (GSDP), so it’s a top priority. The chief minister plans to grow the horticulture sector, aiming to expand cultivated area to 25 lakh hectares by 2029 and turn the state into a major horticulture hub.
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