Tue Feb 18 14:40:58 UTC 2025: ## Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Pushes for Tech-Driven, Sustainable Aquaculture Growth

**Vijayawada, February 18, 2025** – Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has called for the widespread adoption of technology and sustainable practices in the state’s aquaculture sector, aiming for significant expansion and increased global competitiveness. Speaking at the three-day Aqua Tech 2.0 Conclave, Naidu emphasized the potential for a 30% annual growth rate by 2029-30, increasing acreage from 4 lakh to 10 lakh.

Naidu highlighted the importance of natural farming methods to enhance international demand for Andhra Pradesh’s aqua products. He stressed the need for environmentally responsible growth, mandating registration for all aqua farming activities and promising strict enforcement against unregulated practices. The Chief Minister also advocated for integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency, predict disease outbreaks, and enhance profitability.

The government’s commitment to the sector was underscored by Naidu’s mention of its significant contribution to the state’s Gross Value Added (GVA) – 8.8% between 2014 and 2019. However, he also pointed out the need for greater value addition through processing to increase valuation, mirroring the success of countries like Vietnam. Naidu concluded by encouraging the adoption of waste-to-wealth initiatives to address industry challenges and bolster global competitiveness.

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