US move not to hit shrimp exports

The US administration's anti-dumping duty move on shrimp imports will not affect Indian marine exports, said T Raghunadha Reddy, the honorary president of Seafood Exporters Association of India's (SEAI) AP region.

He asked the farmers not to worry about shrimp exports to the US. He also said shrimp products were likely to fetch good prices in the future.

"Nearly 88 per cent of US shrimp needs are being met by imports from other countries. Last fiscal, the Indian shrimp exports to US registered a significant growth of over 40 per cent," he said.

" If the US imposes any anti-dumping duly on our products we are capable of finding new markets and we will continue to pay good prices to local shrimp producers," he said.

Japan and several European Union (EU) countries are importing Indian shrimps in large quantities. Until three years back Japan was the largest importer of shrimp from India. Because of our efforts now the US has replaced Japan as the largest importer in the last two years.

"Our exporters collect the same prices in Japan and EU countries. In India also the shrimp material is being sold at the same price. So imposing anti-dumping duty on Indian shrimps is against the norms of WTO," he observed.

"So far the US administration has not imposed any anti-dumping duty on our marine products. On the request of the US shrimp producers the US department of commerce and the US international trade commission have initiated steps to investigate whether the Indian importers are dumping the shrimps or not. It will take at least six to seven months to conclude if it can be a case for anti-dumping duty," he said.

"At present, the Indian shrimp is the most favoured food consumption in the US. Interestingly, even the American Seafood Distributors Association is supporting our cause in America," he said.