Impact of nationwide lockdown on freshwater aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Aquaculture has been recognized as instrumental in generating income and rural employment besides stimulating growth of a number of ancillary industries. It has increased manifold in Andhra Pradesh in recent times in comparison to agriculture as it brings more profit and requiring less labour per unit area. Outbreak of coronavirus has not only disrupted aquaculture activities but had impact on the farmers’ economy. It affected stocking, pre and post harvesting activities due to prolonged lockdown. Paucity of labor, shortage of inputs, lack of transportation and decline in marketing has complicated the difficulties of aqua farmers. Fish transports have reduced by 85% in domestic markets. Leading urban fish markets in India are operating with less than 10% of workers. Hatchery operators skipped pre-monsoon breeding losing one-third of seed production. Farmers were incurring 10 to 18% losses on production cost. Most of the farm labour are migrant workers. Farm repairs and machine operations affected due to scarcity of manpower. Seed stocking delayed due to suspension of fish harvests. Although, government has exempted fisheries from lockdown, farming operations hampered due to difficulties in social distancing. Retail markets and livelihood of women fish vendors were severely affected. Overall nationwide lockdown imposed to check the spread of COVID-19 has delivered a blow on the morale of the aqua farmers as also affecting the Indian economy.