2 min readHyderabadUpdated: Sep 15, 2025 06:05 PM IST
Andhra Pradesh accounts for 80 percent of the country’s shrimp exports and 34 percent of marine exports, with exports valued at around Rs 21,246 crore annually. (File Photo)
US President Donald Trump’s tariffs are estimated to have cost Andhra Pradesh approximately Rs 25,000 crore in shrimp exports, with government officials saying that about 50 percent orders were cancelled.
With nearly Rs 600 crore in tariff burden now falling on about 2,000 containers, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has sought the Centre’s intervention to alleviate the distress that the export crisis has caused in the state.
US tariffs touched 59.72 percent after Trump announced 25 percent additional tariffs over and above the 25 percent announced earlier, as well as the 5.76 percent countervailing duty and 3.96 percent anti-dumping duty.
In separate letters to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Fisheries Minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh, Naidu suggested relief in Goods and Services Tax and extending Centre’s financial packages to Andhra Pradesh’s aqua farmers to indemnify them against the losses and asked them to consider looking for markets beyond the US.
Andhra Pradesh accounts for 80 percent of the country’s shrimp exports and 34 percent of marine exports valued at around Rs 21,246 crore annually. Over 30 lakh people are estimated to be dependent on shrimp exports and allied activities in the state.
Pointing out that aqua farmers and their families were facing hardships due to the tariffs, Naidu said that his government had already announced various relief measures – such as reducing the price of aqua feed by Rs 9 per kg – and are considering other measures, including subsidising the price of transformers.
He asked the Centre to facilitate bank support for exporters and aqua companies — including a 240-day moratorium on loan and interest repayments, interest subsidies, and a temporary waiver of the 5 percent GST on frozen shrimp. In addition, he urged the Centre to focus on diversifying export markets beyond the US by having Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the European Union, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Russia to boost exports.
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The chief minister also sought interim financial support for exporters, clarity on tariff/tax relief schemes, and noted that exporters were ready to supply seafood to the EU.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
