Bhimavaram: YSRCP President YS Jagan accused the coalition Government on Wednesday of pushing the aqua sector into distress with its anti-farmer policies. He assured the aqua farmers that the party will stand by them and take the path of agitation till justice is done to them.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced financial assistance of Rs 7 lakh each to the families of the six fishermen who have remained missing since their fishing boat capsized off the Visakhapatnam coast on July 4.

The YSRCP also announced Rs 7 lakh assistance on Tuesday to Kari Chinna, the lone survivor of the accident. YS Jagan visited the affected families in Visakhapatnam and alleged that the State Government’s delayed response had reduced the chances of rescuing the missing fishermen. There was a lack of coordination among the district administration, police and other departments despite information about the incident being available, he added.

Addressing a gathering at Bhimavaram in West Godavari district he alleged the coalition is helping the syndicate of companies that control the aqua sector at the cost of farmers. The plight of aqua farmers is that while their cost of production works out to Rs 275 per kg, the price they are getting is Rs 230, which shows the sorry State of affairs in the aqua sector.

He alleged that all the companies that sell the seeds feed and buyers have formed a syndicate, and all of them are TDP sympathizers. They supply the feed at the rate they decide, and when it comes to buying, they ensure that the prices fall and the farmer is not even able to recover the cost, he said

He said that not just aqua but all farmers are being cheated by the coalition Government, and MSP is not being given to any of the crops as Chandrababu is anti-farmer. We stand with farmers and continue to raise the issue and take the path of agitation till farmers get their due and hold their hand till justice is done. When we come back to the office, we will ensure that the syndicates are done away with, he added.

YS Jagan said that his Government had brought in the Andhra Pradesh State Aquaculture Development Authority Act to regulate the aqua sector and monitor the prices to ensure that farmers get the assured price. The coalition Government has set aside the norms of the Act and has been increasing the feed price, not helping farmers in time and being indifferent towards them, he said.