Shrimp exports from India to the United States, the single-largest destination that had accounted for about 35 per cent of total exports, have fallen significantly after President Donald Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on imports from India, as exporters fear a decline of 15 to 18 per cent in the current fiscal.
The imposition of the tariff, which effectively raised total duties on Indian seafood shipments to nearly 60 per cent when combined with countervailing and anti-dumping duties, has severely affected exporters who were already facing challenges due to slowing global demand.
Although official country-specific export data for September has yet to be released, industry projections indicate that India’s marine exports to the US could have fallen by as much as 75 per cent year-on-year during the month, pulling down overall shipments in 2025–26.
India’s exports of fish, crustaceans and other marine products had touched $2.7 billion during April–August 2025–26, marking a 15 per cent increase from a year earlier. However, shipments to the US, which remain the dominant destination, rose by only 2.7 per cent to $859 million, with the tariff-driven slowdown emerging as the primary factor.
The steep increase in effective duties, now standing at around 59.71 per cent, has left Indian seafood, especially Vannamei shrimp, at a major disadvantage when compared with competing nations such as Ecuador, Vietnam, and Thailand, which face tariffs of between 15 and 20 per cent.
Indian seafood exporters have begun exploring new markets in regions such as the European Union, Australia, Southeast Asia and West Asia to offset the losses. Industry associations have also urged the government to engage diplomatically with the US to seek relief, as both countries lack a bilateral trade agreement that could ease such disputes.
The tariff impact has been particularly severe in Andhra Pradesh, which accounts for the bulk of India’s shrimp exports. The state has reportedly suffered losses of around Rs 25,000 crore, with nearly half of its export orders being cancelled, while about 2,000 containers now face an estimated duty burden of Rs 600 crore.
The state government has sought the Union government’s intervention, requesting relief in goods and services tax and financial assistance for farmers affected by the crisis, as India’s once-thriving seafood trade with the US struggles to remain competitive under the new tariff regime.