US tariffs push Andhra shrimp farmers to the brink, MP seeks urgent relief

Tirupati: Tirupati MP Dr Maddila Gurumoorthy on Monday voiced the mounting distress of thousands of shrimp farmers in the State, telling the Lok Sabha that steep US import duties have crippled exports and sent farm-gate prices tumbling. The slump, he warned, has pushed many farmers into heavy debt and threatens the state’s aquaculture sector, a key source of livelihood for lakhs, with severe economic fallout.

Dr Gurumoorthy told the Lok Sabha that Andhra Pradesh, which accounts for the lion’s share of India’s shrimp exports, has been hit hardest. Nearly 70 percent of the state’s produce is shipped to the United States, but with Washington imposing an effective tariff of nearly 60 percent, consignments have slowed to a trickle. Tirupati district alone cultivates shrimp in over 28,000 acres, yielding about 1.25 lakh tonnes annually.

The MP explained that the trouble began after the US slapped an additional 25 percent import duty – on top of the existing 25 percent coupled with 3.96 percent anti-dumping and 5.76 percent countervailing duties. “Within two days of the announcement, prices crashed by 10–15 percent,” he said, noting that the 30-count variety has slid from Rs 450 to Rs 400 per kg, while the 50-count variety dropped from Rs 330 to Rs 300.

According to industry estimates, Andhra Pradesh has about 6.5 lakh aquafarmers, with another 30–40 lakh people dependent on allied activities such as hatcheries, feed supply, processing, and logistics. Losses are running between Rs 50,000 and Rs 80,000 per tonne, leaving farmers unable to recover even their input costs.

Adding to the woes is the absence of adequate cold storage facilities. Farmers are often forced to offload their harvest immediately at distress prices, as holding stock is not feasible. Efforts to divert exports to China or cater to local processors have met with only limited success.

Dr Gurumoorthy urged the Centre to intervene with a relief package, price stabilisation measures, and investments in storage infrastructure. He also pressed for a push to open alternative export markets so that the livelihoods of lakhs of coastal families do not sink further.