Vijayawada: Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party (TDPP) leader and Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu met Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi, raising several issues concerning the state's textile, shrimp, and tobacco sectors. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu was also present during the meeting.
Textile Industry Concerns
Representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Textile Mills Association accompanied the delegation and highlighted the crisis faced by the textile and spinning industry due to rising cotton prices and a shortage of quality cotton in the domestic market. The delegation urged the Centre to temporarily withdraw the existing 11 per cent import duty on cotton and impose restrictions on cotton exports until October 31, 2026, to ensure adequate domestic availability and price stability. They also sought priority allocation of Cotton Corporation of India stocks to manufacturers instead of traders.
Aqua Sector Challenges
The meeting also focused on the challenges confronting the state's aqua sector following recent tariff measures imposed by the United States. Concerns were raised over the impact on exporters, aqua farmers, hatcheries, and seafood processing units, besides the livelihoods dependent on aquaculture across coastal Andhra Pradesh. Sri Krishna Devarayalu emphasized the need for support measures and improved market access to protect India's seafood exports and minimize the impact on the aqua sector.
Tobacco Farmers' Crisis
He also raised the crisis faced by tobacco farmers due to the revised taxation structure on cigarettes. He stressed the need for a balanced approach to safeguard farmer incomes, stabilize procurement operations, and protect livelihoods linked to the tobacco economy.
