VIJAYAWADA: Aqua Empowered Committee members minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Botsa Satyanarayana, Dr. Sidiri Appalaraju and AP State Aqua Development Authority vice chairman Vaddi Raghuram held a meeting on Tuesday at the secretariat in Velagapudi on controlling the increase in prices of aqua feed and fish seed.

Speaking on the occasion, fisheries minister Appalaraju said due to fluctuations in the international market, local aquaculture market is facing difficulties. He claimed that meetings of the empowered committee from time to time have helped in regulating the price fluctuations.

The minister said total 4.65 lakh acres in the state are under aqua zone. Out of these, areas under 10 acres are eligible for power subsidy, which comes to 3.26 lakh acres. He said total 46,433 aqua farmers have been identified as eligible for subsidy. After examining applications, they extended subsidy to another 4,230 farmers. He underlined that steps will be taken to provide subsidised electricity to these connections from November 1.

Appalaraju said at present, 240 per kg has been finalised as the rate for hundred count prawns in the state. It is not possible to make purchases for less than this. He pointed out that thousands of metric tonnes of aqua products are sold in the local market every month. Steps should be taken to increase these sales further, he stated.

Special chief secretary (Fisheries) Gopalakrishna Dwivedi and fisheries commissioner Kanna Babu were among those who participated in the meeting.