Hyderabad, July 16 -- YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday accused the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government of pushing the state's aquaculture sector into a "deep crisis" with its alleged anti-farmer policies.

Speaking to reporters after interacting with aquaculture farmers in Bhimavaram of West Godavari district, Jagan alleged that the coalition government was favouring a syndicate of private companies involved in the aqua sector at the expense of producers.

Claiming that shrimp farmers were incurring heavy losses, Jagan said the average cost of production had risen to around Rs.275 per kg, while farmers were being forced to sell their produce for only about Rs.2...