US tariffs hit Andhra's seafood exports hard

Business Jan 04, 2026

A steep 50% tariff from the US has caused India's seafood exports to the US—especially from Andhra Pradesh—to drop by 25% in just a few months.
Announced in August 2025 by then-President Trump, this move is hitting shrimp exporters the hardest, since Andhra alone supplies over half of India's shrimp and nearly a third of all seafood export value.

Why it matters: Tough global competition, local pain

With countries like Ecuador and Vietnam paying much lower tariffs, Indian exporters are struggling to keep up.
Many have stopped buying from local farmers, forcing some to take "crop holidays."
Margins are razor-thin—just 5-6%—so the Seafood Exporters Association is urging the government to step in with trade deals to help keep the industry afloat.