Shrimp exports to US from state battling tide of tariffs

Mumbai: Seafood exporters say that "not a single prawn" has been exported from Mumbai to the US since Sept 2025 owing to the sanctions imposed on India by American president Donald Trump. MPEDA (Marine Products Export Development Authority) says exporters are at their wits' end as America's tariff rates and conditions are changing ever so often.State fisheries minister Nitesh Rane raised the issue in the assembly Wednesday. He particularly pointed to the travails faced by shrimp exporters. The US has a large market for shrimp from many countries including India.Irfan Khan, director, Harbour Exports, said, "We have not shipped a single container to the US since Sept 2025. Not a single prawn —let alone a container. Thankfully, I have a factory in Dubai so we are reworking our packaging and trying to finish our orders, just to hold on to one big client. We have even incurred costs on setting up an office in Vietnam to export fish to the US as a Vietnamese exporter -- even at a loss. What pains me is that the revenue and foreign exchange that could have been earned by India's farmers and fishermen are being lost." An MPEDA official said, "Fisheries exports from Maharashtra are currently minimal. There are hardly two or three units registered with US FDA. Most of our consignments go to Europe. Shrimp exports are done from Andhra Pradesh, since that is where most of the aquaculture cultivation is done. But seafood exporters nationwide are confounded because the US tariff rates and conditions are changing so rapidly."Among the fortunate few is Kader Exports whose consignments are still travelling to the US. Mohammed Farid Khan, GM, corporate exports, of the company, said, "Our shrimp exports to the US have not stopped. The earlier situation was different when tariff was 50%. But that is now lowered to 10%. Moreover, the US Supreme Court has questioned the tariffs. So our shrimp exports are normal."