Indian white shrimp turns to the Russian market, with exports surging to 40%
Published 2025년 10월 11일
Tridge summary
In August 2025, the U.S. government imposed a combined tariff of nearly 60% on Indian seafood, including anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties, and an additional 50% "retaliatory tariff." This dealt a heavy blow to India's shrimp export industry—the U.S. accounted for about 48% of India's total shrimp exports in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, nearly half of the $5 billion total. Following the imposition of the tariff, the area of shrimp ponds in coastal regions like Nellore plummeted from about 80,000 acres to 40,000 acres, numerous processing plants shut down, and thousands of workers lost their jobs.
Russia becomes a lifeline market
However, a turnaround soon emerged. Exporters in Nellore confirmed that surging demand from Russia caused a dramatic shift in their export structure—exports to Russia jumped from a previous 10% of the total to nearly 40%.
"It was like an adrenaline shot for us," said S. Nagesh, a major local exporter. "The stable demand from the Russian market has helped maintain prices and restore confidence among shrimp farmers."
Another processing plant owner, K. Venkateswarlu, added: "Our plant used to employ 700 workers, but we had to lay off staff after the tariff. But now, new orders from Russia are allowing us to hope for a full resumption of operations."
Currently, there are eight major seafood processing enterprises in the Nellore region, employing thousands of workers, including about 3,000 migrant laborers. The resurgence of exports is directly boosting employment. P. Ramu, a shrimp farmer from Muthukur village, said: "Last year we almost gave up on shrimp farming, but now we have re-stocked with shrimp larvae."
Government promotes market diversification strategy
The Indian government is actively supporting this "de-Americanization." Federal Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan previously urged exporters to "brave the challenges" and actively explore new markets in the EU, China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.
Fisheries officials stated: "The resurgence of exports is not only significant for employment but also for restoring rural income. The government is working with seed farms and farmers to improve seed quality, strengthen disease prevention, and promote sustainable production."
Under the heavy blow of U.S. tariffs, India's shrimp industry was once in crisis, but thanks to flexible market adjustments and sustained demand from Russia, Nellore has once again come to life. Industry insiders believe that this "forced shift" may become a key turning point for India's shrimp industry in the next decade.
Russia becomes a lifeline market
However, a turnaround soon emerged. Exporters in Nellore confirmed that surging demand from Russia caused a dramatic shift in their export structure—exports to Russia jumped from a previous 10% of the total to nearly 40%.
"It was like an adrenaline shot for us," said S. Nagesh, a major local exporter. "The stable demand from the Russian market has helped maintain prices and restore confidence among shrimp farmers."
Another processing plant owner, K. Venkateswarlu, added: "Our plant used to employ 700 workers, but we had to lay off staff after the tariff. But now, new orders from Russia are allowing us to hope for a full resumption of operations."
Currently, there are eight major seafood processing enterprises in the Nellore region, employing thousands of workers, including about 3,000 migrant laborers. The resurgence of exports is directly boosting employment. P. Ramu, a shrimp farmer from Muthukur village, said: "Last year we almost gave up on shrimp farming, but now we have re-stocked with shrimp larvae."
Government promotes market diversification strategy
The Indian government is actively supporting this "de-Americanization." Federal Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan previously urged exporters to "brave the challenges" and actively explore new markets in the EU, China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.
Fisheries officials stated: "The resurgence of exports is not only significant for employment but also for restoring rural income. The government is working with seed farms and farmers to improve seed quality, strengthen disease prevention, and promote sustainable production."
Under the heavy blow of U.S. tariffs, India's shrimp industry was once in crisis, but thanks to flexible market adjustments and sustained demand from Russia, Nellore has once again come to life. Industry insiders believe that this "forced shift" may become a key turning point for India's shrimp industry in the next decade.
Original content
In August 2025, the U.S. government imposed a combined tariff of nearly 60% on Indian seafood, including anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties, and an additional 50% "retaliatory tariff." This dealt a heavy blow to India's shrimp export industry—the U.S. accounted for about 48% of India's total shrimp exports in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, nearly half of the $5 billion total. Following the imposition of the tariff, the area of shrimp ponds in coastal regions like Nellore plummeted from about 80,000 acres to 40,000 acres, numerous processing plants shut down, and thousands of workers lost their jobs. Russia becomes a lifeline market However, a turnaround soon emerged. Exporters in Nellore confirmed that surging demand from Russia caused a dramatic shift in their export structure—exports to Russia jumped from a previous 10% of the total to nearly 40%. "It was like an adrenaline shot for us," said S. Nagesh, a major local exporter. "The stable demand from the Russian market has ...
Source: Foodmate
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