Prawn farmers seek relief from additional charges

Update: 2025-03-24 10:10 IST
Prawn farmers seek relief from additional charges
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Ongole: Members of the Prakasam district Prawn Farmers Association have submitted a petition to the Minister for Social Welfare Dr Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy at his camp office in Turpu Nayudupalem on Sunday, seeking intervention on electricity charges and the installation of digital smart meters.

The members highlighted several concerns affecting approximately six coastal areas in the Prakasam district where farmers are engaged in prawn cultivation.

According to the farmers, they have been suffering losses for the past few years due to low-quality seed and unfavourable market prices. The situation has become so dire that many feed suppliers are refusing to provide prawn feed on credit. They informed that the state government provides subsidised electricity at Rs 1.50 per unit to farmers with less than 10 acres in designated Aqua Zones. This subsidy has been crucial for keeping small-scale prawn farming operations viable. However, farmers in Non-Aqua Zones and those with more than 10 acres do not receive this benefit, forcing many to abandon their ponds due to unsustainable costs, they explained.

In the petition, the farmers urged the minister to convince the government to extend subsidised electricity to all prawn farmers regardless of their location in Aqua or Non-Aqua Zones, halt the additional ‘true-up’ charges and electricity adjustment fees, suspend the installation of digital smart meters that was initiated without proper communication to farmers.

The Prakasam district Prawn Farmers Association president Duggineni Gopinath, secretary Kunturi Subbareddy, honorary president Pamidi Subbanayudu, and other members met the minister.

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