India&rsquo;s shrimp industry, the world&rsquo;s second-largest after Ecuador, is reeling under the impact of steep US tariffs that have sent prices crashing and pushed farmers into crisis. In Nandigram, West Bengal, farmer Buddhadeb Pradhan has risked cultivating a second shrimp cycle despite the high likelihood of disease. &ldquo;The falling prices have me stressing if I can recover my investment of 3 lakh rupees,&rdquo; he said, reflecting the growing anxiety across coastal India.
Shrimp prices have plunged from ₹300 per kg to around ₹230 since Washington imposed combined duties of 58.26%. With production costs at ₹275, losses are unavoidable. Farmer Nardu Das said the situation is pushing cultivators to extreme distress. &ldquo;Farmers risk their savings and take loans. Diseases and falling prices push us to the brink of poverty,&rdquo; he said. Nearly 10 million people employed across farms, hatcheries and processing units are affected.
Experts warn the tariffs could permanently alter India&rsquo;s position in the global market. Rahul Guha of Crisil Ratings said, &ldquo;The hike in tariffs will discourage farmers from investing in shrimp culture that requires high upfront costs.&rdquo; Hatcheries are collapsing as farmers stop buying seeds, at least half of India&rsquo;s 550 hatcheries have halted production, and&nbsp;7&ndash;8 billion seeds were discarded in the last four months, said Ravid Kumar Yellanki.
Structural issues deepen the crisis. India imports brood stock, the breeding shrimp on chartered flights from the US, but the quality often fails Indian conditions, triggering disease outbreaks.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have been demanding that shrimps be bred from local brood stock to produce high-quality seeds suited to our environment,&rdquo; said IPR Mohan Raju of the Prawn Farmers Federation of India.
Meanwhile, Ecuador is rapidly capturing the US market with lower production costs and a much smaller tariff of 15%. Aquaculture expert Manoj Sharma believes India must diversify. &ldquo;Exporters ignore the domestic market, which has huge potential,&rdquo; he said. For farmers like Pradhan and Das, the shift cannot come soon enough as the country&rsquo;s shrimp belt waits for stability and a new strategy to survive the downturn.
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US Tariffs Push India’s Shrimp Sector to Crisis

Farmers face steep losses; falling prices, disease risks & Ecuador’s rise worsen the blow

US Tariffs Push India’s Shrimp Sector to Crisis

Farmers face steep losses; falling prices, disease risks & Ecuador’s rise worsen the blow

November 8, 2025 | 16:45 IST