Shrimp Farmers Demand MSP for Tiger Prawns

Swift Summary

• Members of the Combined Prakasam district Shrimp Farmers Welfare Association protested at the Collector office in Ongole on Monday.
• They demanded a minimum support price (MSP) for tiger prawns due to recent declines in market prices.
• The association’s president, E. Yashwanth Kumar, highlighted rising costs of aqua chemicals since the Covid pandemic and urged government intervention to reduce costs.
• Farmers pressed for implementation of a previously announced policy to lower aqua feed rates to ₹9 per kg from July 1, as promised by the government.
• Additional demands included electricity supply at ₹1.50 per unit for all shrimp farming ponds irrespective of location and restoration of free power supply discontinued after 2019.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The peaceful presentation by shrimp farmers reflects their increasing vulnerability amidst fluctuating market dynamics and rising input costs associated with aquaculture post-Covid. While their call for an MSP echoes broader agricultural pricing issues across India, it also raises questions about long-term sustainability strategies within aquaculture sectors-essential contributors to india’s export economy.

Government promises such as reducing feed prices appear critical but unmet deadlines create doubt among stakeholders about policy enforcement capabilities or resource allocation constraints in rural industries like aquafarming which always directly indirectly whether compacting future-linked local dependent/rural livelihood impacts.

Image Source: Photo Credit: KOMMURI SRINIVAS