Aqua farmers losing Rs 30 a kg due to US duties

The first effects of the anti-dumping duty imposed by the US government on shrimp exports from India has started to be felt.

Aqua farmers in the state are losing close to Rs 30 on each kg of Black Tiger shrimp due to the anti-dumping duty imposed from June this year.

Aqua farmers from Andhra Pradesh are the main sufferers because close to 60 per cent of the black tiger production from the state was being exporting to the US markets only.

"Owing to the 14.2 per cent anti-dumping duty on India's marine exports to the US, the shrimp importers in the US are quoting lower prices. This apart some European Union buyers and buyers from apan are also offering lower prices and our farmers are losing about Rs.30-40 per kg," Viswanadha Raju, President, Seafood Exporters Association of India, Andhra Pradesh region, told Business Standard.

In the month of June exporters paid Rs.290-300 per kg of 30 count black tiger shrimp and Rs 240-245 per kg of 40 count shrimp, but now exporters are offering only Rs 260-270 on 30 count and Rs 205-215 for 40 count.

During the last fiscal the US imported about $400 million worth of marine products from the country.

"This year we expect a 30-35 per cent drop in exports to the US market due to the anti-dumping duty. Countries like Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia are exporting black tiger shrimp to US market at very low prices and this may mean that our our farmers may lose further in coming days," he said.

T Raghunath Reddy, secretary general, The Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) said that after the US government announced the anti-dumping duty in the month of June, July onwards exports to the US market have plumetted between 25 per cent and 30 per cent. The final determination on anti-dumping duty will be announced on 17th December.