Amaravati: The state government has extended the concessional power tariff of Rs 1.50 per unit to all eligible aquaculture farms located in newly declared Aqua Zones and to all aquaculture farms registered under the Andhra Pradesh State Aquaculture Development Authority (APSADA) Act and Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) Act, according to orders issued on Tuesday. 

The concession will be effective from June 1, 2026, subject to the beneficiaries achieving a power factor of 0.9 to 0.95 by March 2027. Farms failing to meet the prescribed power factor requirement will not be eligible for the subsidy. 

The government estimated that around 6,500 currently registered aquaculture farms would benefit from the expanded concession. The benefit will also be available to other eligible farms that obtain APSADA or CAA registration in the future, from the date of their registration. 

The latest order expands the scope of a power subsidy that has been extended to the aquaculture sector over the years. Initially, the tariff was reduced from Rs 3.86 to Rs 2 per unit in 2018 for one year. 

From July 2019, the government reduced the concessional rate further to Rs 1.50 per unit, citing the rising cost of aquaculture production and the need to help farmers remain competitive in the global aqua-export market. 

Subsequent orders restricted or expanded eligibility based on farm size and location. The government had earlier extended the Rs 1.50 tariff to aquaculture farms of up to 10 acres located in notified Aqua Development Zones. 

The latest decision follows a proposal submitted by the commissioner of fisheries through the animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries department seeking wider coverage of the concession. 

Under the revised order, the concession will cover all eligible farms in newly declared Aqua Zones identified through the re-survey process, apart from all currently registered farms meeting APSADA and CAA requirements. 

The government said the expenditure towards the subsidy would be met from the relevant budget head.

 The commissioner of fisheries has been directed to provide the required database of eligible aquaculture farmers to the power distribution companies for implementing the concession. 

The government has continued the concessional tariff primarily to reduce the financial burden on aqua farmers and strengthen the competitiveness of State’s aquaculture sector, which is a major contributor to the state’s export economy.