Amidst US Tariffs, Chandrababu Naidu Writes to Centre, Seeks Immediate Support for Andhra Aqua Sector

Amravati:

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has written to the Union Government seeking urgent intervention to support the state’s aqua sector, which has been hit hard by the recent US-imposed tariffs.In letters addressed separately to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Fisheries Minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh, the Chief Minister highlighted the severe losses faced by aqua farmers and exporters.Andhra Pradesh contributes around 80% of India’s shrimp exports and 34% of marine exports, valued at about Rs 21,246 crore annually.Nearly 2.5 lakh aqua farmer families and 30 lakh people dependent on allied industries, Naidu said, are under distress due to the crisis.

Losses from Shrimp Export Tariffs

According to the Chief Minister, shrimp exports have been worst affected, with losses estimated at Rs 25,000 crore. Nearly half of export orders have reportedly been cancelled, and about 2,000 containers are facing a tariff burden of nearly Rs 600 crore.While the State Government has initiated certain relief measures – such as securing a price reduction of Rs 9 per kg in aqua feed costs after discussions with feed producers and considering subsidised supply of transformers – Naidu underscored that central assistance is essential to stabilise the sector

Key Requests to the Centre

Financial Relief

The CM sought a 240-day moratorium on loan and interest repayments for exporters and aqua companies, along with interest subsidies and a temporary waiver of the 5% GST on frozen shrimp.

Diversification of Market

He urged the Commerce Ministry to negotiate trade agreements with the European Union, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Russia to reduce dependence on the US market.

Increasing Domestic Consumption

Naidu appealed for a ₹100 crore corpus fund, creation of cold storages and seafood markets, and awareness campaigns to encourage higher seafood consumption within India.Current per-capita consumption in the country stands at 12–13 kg per year, compared with the global average of 20–30 kg, he pointed out.The Chief Minister also urged the Centre to run dedicated trains for shipping aqua products from South India to northern markets, noting that efficient transportation would expand domestic reach.Additionally, he requested one-time top-up loans of ₹1 lakh for fishermen under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, and enhancement of processing, packaging, and cold-chain facilities under the Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF).He further stressed the need for expanding research support in the state by establishing regional offices of institutions such as ICAR-CIBA and ICAR-NBFGR.“In his communication, Naidu underlined that while the State Government was undertaking certain relief efforts, the scale of the crisis requires national-level measures.Promoting domestic seafood consumption, diversifying export markets, and providing interim financial assistance, he said, would be crucial to protect the livelihoods of lakhs of families dependent on Andhra Pradesh’s aqua economy.