Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wrote to Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Monday, 20 July 2026, urging the Centre to permit shrimp feed manufacturers to import genetically modified (GM) soybean meal, citing surging input costs that are pushing shrimp farmers into financial distress.

Context

The Chief Minister's Office of Andhra Pradesh shared the development on social media, noting that Naidu flagged a sharp rise in the price of soybean meal — the primary protein ingredient in shrimp feed — as the trigger for the letter. The communication requests that feed manufacturers be granted a specific import window for GM soybean meal to ease a domestic supply shortfall and bring prices under control.

The letter states that rising feed production costs have translated directly into financial hardship for shrimp farmers across the state, who operate on thin margins in an export-oriented market.

Policy Backdrop

Andhra Pradesh is India's leading farmed shrimp-producing state and a major contributor to the country's seafood export earnings. Feed costs typically account for a significant share of total shrimp production expenses, making soybean meal prices a critical variable for farmer profitability.

India currently restricts the import of genetically modified agricultural commodities under biosafety regulations overseen by central agencies. Permitting GM soybean meal for aquafeed use would require a specific policy carve-out, balancing the needs of the aquaculture sector against domestic soybean grower interests and biosafety considerations — a decision that rests with the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in coordination with other central bodies.

Domestic supply shortfalls of soybean meal have periodically prompted state-level requests for import relief in the past, though central approvals for GM variants have remained restricted.

Stakeholders and Impact

Shrimp farmers and feed manufacturers are the most immediate stakeholders. If feed input costs remain elevated, producers face a squeeze between higher costs and globally competitive export prices, potentially reducing the competitiveness of Indian shrimp in key markets.

Domestic soybean farmers and oilseed processors represent a countervailing interest — any import liberalisation, even limited to feed use, could affect domestic commodity prices. The Centre will need to weigh both sets of interests before issuing a decision.

What's Next

The ball is now in Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh's court. A formal inter-ministerial review — likely involving the ministries handling agriculture, commerce, and environment — would precede any change in import policy for GM commodities.

If the Centre approves the request, even on a time-bound or volume-capped basis, it could provide near-term cost relief to Andhra Pradesh's shrimp farming community and help sustain the state's position as a leading seafood exporter. The industry will be watching the Centre's response closely in the weeks ahead.